Asylum Seekers Centre

I came to this country as an asylum seeker. I came from a country whose government knew me as a guilty person - my sin that I wanted to see equality of all humans, men and women. I couldn't close my eyes from the injustices occurring in my country, I fought back and as a result I paid a very expensive cost. I had to leave my country that I love. I had to leave behind my dearest love ones.

These years of uncertainly and loneliness in Australia. The years of constant waiting for the court decisions a - I feel my voice hasn't been heard in the Australian courts. These years of not knowing my future.

When our work rights and Medicare was taken away from us we lost any sense of the normal. My nightmares and sleeplessness started. My body and soul degraded everyday since. But I keep going because I am a mother and had to fight for my children. I have been forced to ask for help.  In my opinion living under such circumstances is like dying every day.

Is it too much to ask for a life of dignity in which you can survive with your own effort rather than asking others for help? So many nights that have gone by which i shivered when myself and my children got sick since i didn't have the financial ability to take my children to a doctor and had to wait for weeks to see a volunteer doctor.

My question is for people who make decisions like taking away work rights and Medicare from human beings. I would like to ask them to only put themselves in our shoes for a moment. Just try to imagine not having Medicare, not being able to earn money, living in a country without knowing anyone and not being able to communicate in the new language.

I am hoping that at least the new government looks at asylum seekers as human beings and try to ease the pain of the asylum seekers by making the right decisions. I ask this not just for me. I think not just of my situation.

Peace be upon the lovely people of Australia who enabled me to bear the circumstances with their continued help and empathy which eased my pain - their hearts are as vast as their great country.