CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
A pre-teen asylum seeker trapped behind bars on Nauru has applauded his new surrogate nation’s politicians this week.
9-year-old Syrian boy Asghar Al-Khatib, whose family is seeking asylum in Australia has spent majority of his formative years inside the Australian government’s Pacific Island detention centre, a semi-privatised institution that has since become the closest thing the stateless war-weary youngster has to call home.
Ashgar spoke to The Advocate about the response to comments made by Central Queensland Senator Fraser Anning in his maiden speech to the Senate.
The new Senator called for a ban on Muslim migration and borrowed a quaint little German phrase ‘the final solution” to really bring it home.
However, Al-Khatib explained that it’s good to see the rest of Australia’s elected representatives condemn the ex-One Nation senator’s prejudice comments towards middle eastern migrants.
“It’s is great to see that Australia’s parliamentarians have a strong moral compass” he said.
Al-Khatib’s family has been split up after they fled from their war-torn home country, with the boy, his sister and his mum hanging out on Nauru while his old man spends a bit of time on the now defunct Manus Island.
“I’m not sure why me and mummy and my sister Azza are locked up on here, but I’m sure there must be some reason for it,” Al-Khatib said.
“I realise that now, that despite trapping us here and punishing us for trying to escape a country destroyed by war they really are quite progressive.”
“I guess they really do care about human rights!”
“I’m glad Tony Burke and Malcolm Turnbull were so swift to condemn Fraser Anning’s comments. It’s good to know there is bipartisan support for my right to exist”
