Dare Devil Immigrants risk their lives for Lure of foreign shores

Often small wooden vessels can be seen headed for Western countries or Australia or to any countries that act gateways to Europe, America or Canada.

Desperate Immigration aspirants, who otherwise, are not eligible to apply for immigration or even fail to get visa for these countries, adopt such means of entering these countries, often at the risk of their lives. Though there are no published statistics to confirm the fact, yet as per unofficial estimates, at least 40% of such journeys have at least one fatality owing to poor hygiene, inclement weather or clash with border patrol.

In the last fortnight only, the Australian navy had intercepted one such boat. Noticing the presence of Navy, reportedly, the boat was set ablaze by the crew so that the passengers can be picked up; else navy would force the boat to be turned back. At least five people of Afghan origin died in the incident and dozens injured, six of them were admitted with serious burn injuries.

It is rumored that the Australian Defense Forces have footage of Australian navy personnel pushing traumatized refugees from clambering on board their ship, however, what ever the truth Australia has blocked the release of pictures as well as videos from being released to the public.

Similarly, in the past 2 months many boats have been blocked entering Australia, and the refugees have similar modus operandi -a flight to Indonesia, a payment of $10,000-$15,000 to a smuggler and a makeshift place on a fishing boat barely sturdy enough to make the journey.

If these boat passengers survive the tough journey, chances are bleak, say 25% that they would escape the eagle eye of police in Australia. If caught in Australia, they are diverted to remote detention centers scattered around the Pacific Ocean. There these would-be refugees are kept indefinitely while their applications are under processing. Some legitimate refugees were stuck in the camps for more than three years.

Current policy, however, mandates that their applications be processed within a 90-day period, and those who are granted asylum can apply for permanent humanitarian visas.

Australia's conservative opposition Party lays the blame of boat arrivals on to human smugglers from Indonesia, Malaysia and other parts of Asia saying that "When you weaken laws for unauthorized arrivals, you are in fact creating a brilliant marketing scheme for people smugglers."

Fact that many boats don't make it and sink near the Indonesian island of Java, taking huge toll of lives with it, does not deter these “brave” immigration aspirants.

However, these immigrants and their supporters have lovely argument saying that, Coming to Australia from a place of oppression isn't the same as standing in a queue at the supermarket and waiting for your turn. It's more like escaping a burning house. Sometimes you have to break a window and jump out.