First Syrian Refugees Arrive in Australia
A family of five, the first of 12,000 Syrian refugees bound for Australia, landed in Perth on Nov. 16. Although the refugees were not expected to arrive before mid-December, the family’s resettlement was hastened due to the fact that the mother is seven months pregnant. The father commented that he and his family have been treated with utmost “fairness and kindness” in their first few days. However, in the wake of the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, the resettlement of further Syrian refugees may be significantly delayed. Australia’s former prime minister, Tony Abbott, addressed the media in early-September and stated that Australia would commit to opening its borders to 12,000 Syrian refugees over the coming years. Since then, the Department of Immigration has begun handpicking refugees who are “the most vulnerable, i.e. women, children and families with the least prospect of ever returning safely to their homes” for resettlement. Australia resettles more refugees per capita than any other country in the world, and is committing $700 million to the process of selecting, checking, and resettling Syrians seeking asylum.
The arrival of the first family comes just as the French government reported that some of the men involved in the Paris terror attacks posed as Syrian refugees to gain access to the country. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop stated, in response to outcries from the public, that all Syrians immigrants will undergo an “arduous and thorough” screening process before being granted refugee status in Australia. The evaluation process involves biometric testing to check fingerprints, as well as photos and many different forms of documentation to prove that refugees are not using false identities. The ultimate result, according to Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, is that the processing of Syrians coming to Australia will be significantly slowed down, and the majority of refugees may not arrive until the middle of next year.
The widespread fear of terrorism has notably hindered the process of Syrian refugee resettlement around the world, with the United States House passing a bill on November 19 to block Iraqi and Syrian refugees entry. However, Australia’s resettlement of Syrian refugees is currently set to continue, and it is likely to become the largest humanitarian undertaking witnessed from Australia since World War II.