After 18 months of stress and trauma, including being homeless and sleeping on inner city beaches, a married couple from a newly independent state, has finally been granted refugee status by the Refugee Review Tribunal.
Mr and Mrs K arrived in Australia with no money and feeling totally desperate. They had left their children in the care of friends and relatives in hiding. Both had been persecuted by police after converting from Islam to Christianity and because of Mr K's political opinions. In addition, their son was kidnapped by Islamic fundamentalists and when the police rescued him, instead of returning him directly to his parents, they held him for ransom.
They approached the Department of Immigration, hoping for assistance in lodging an application and finding accommodation. Immigration referred them to Legal Aid. Social workers Jean Alexander and Brian Bembrick arranged accommodation (not an easy task) over a period of days.
Jean says, "Accommodation for refugees presented a great challenge as the couple were not eligible for any financial support and there were few services able to help them."
After considerable negotiation Social Work was able to establish several precedents for refugees to be assisted by the Department of Housing. In fact, Social work's advocacy substantially changed the Department's guidelines for this client group, in so far as they accepted some responsibility for refugees, despite them not having permanent residence.
The Department provided financial assistance for the couple to stay in temporary emergency accommodation in an inner city hotel. Soon after, Social Work found a more permanent solution to their problem and the couple moved to a St Vincent de Paul hostel.
Legal aid was granted through our contract with the Department of Immigration to provide application assistance for asylum seekers in the community.
Mr and Mrs K were diagnosed with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Neither was able to work due to a combination of trauma and no English. They have however started receiving financial assistance through the Red Cross Asylum Seekers Assistance Scheme.
A whole 18 months of insecurity passed. At one point they were homeless when financial assistance was cut off after the Department of Immigration rejected their application. Then after two lengthy hearings, the Refugee Review Tribunal accepted the couple as refugees.
Lawyer Pip Brown says, "This finding is the first in a number of steps which will enable the Ks to build new lives in Australia and begin recovering from their past experiences. It will be at least another six weeks before visas will be issued and then at least six to 12 months before their children can join them here in Australia." |
