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Refugees – the tragic plight of Ljuben Nedelkoski... When Mary, Joseph and infant Jesus fled as refugees from Herod's paranoid male infanticide they were fortunate an Aussie security guard was not on the Egyptian border nor a money-grabbing agent there to take their little bag of silver and copper. Bad guys have always been with us, down the ages, but of late Australia seems to be giving a peculiar Down Under twist to exploitation of newcomers. If Alexander of Macedonia had decided to abandon 'conquering the known world' and settle for the quiet life of running a family restaurant in today's Sydney he might have found he needed all of his skills to cut the Gordian Knot of Immigration regulations and all of the wisdom inherited from his tutor Aristotle to outwit the dollar-hungry advocates only too willing to gobble up his gold. Even a military hero like Alexander would blanch at the prospect of electrified Villawood or Baxter detention camps. We could, however, hope that eventually he would gain forces to burn both to the ground like Persepolis.
Migrants and refugees to Australia are rarely exposed to the truth. They do not enjoy true freedom. They dread a knock on the door and a demand for 'your papers' almost as much if the Gestapo had come calling. Just like the Jews under the Nazis they can be betrayed by a friend or an agent who has taken all of their savings. Policies and practices are directly opposed to even the most watered-down Christian view of human dignity. A Macedonian tragedy... In the last few weeks I have been talking with migrants from the Republic of Macedonia about the trials some of them have endured since coming to Australia. Their stories are alarming, to say the least. When you sit in a Macedonian restaurant feeling the glow of friendship as warm as the anise-flavoured raki – the alcohol relic from the Ottoman days – it is impossible not to feel a strong feeling for these people who have had such a turbulent history and yet have been at times treated so poorly on arrival in Australia. Another raki, and then the sobering thought comes: Is this not, after all, Australia the country that used migrant labour in insufferable, slave-like conditions for private contractors building the Snowy Mountains Project? And then years later thought seriously about selling off this work of human hands? Guilt, however, remains and the second raki will not wash it away as you hear the stories. 'Macedonia' means different things. Republic of Macedonia, a European country, also referred to as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). My nameless host is from 'the land of lakes and mountains', the Republic of Macedonia , previously the southern part of socialist Yugoslavia, which recognized Macedonian ethnicity as distinct from the Serbs. The land has felt the tread of Roman, Byzantine, Greek and Illiyrian and Turk infantry, just to name a few. Its neighbours, including Bulgaria, refuse to acknowledge its ethnicity, and this has bred a stalwart people. A source of shame...
We begin with a friendly, light-hearted discussion of the question 'Was Alexander a Greek?' (no!), but when we turn to serious matters I discover a source of shame for me, for he tells me that when he came to Australia the system tried to rob him blind. He worked as a chef and applied for the appropriate visa. An advocate told him that he could get his visa problems solved - provided he gave him eighty thousand dollars. 'What are my chances?' he asked the advocate. There the advocate made a slip. 'One hundred per cent'. The migrant from Macedonia knew that he was in the hands of a con man. Only con men say one hundred per cent. This was later lowered to seven hundred dollars. Perhaps the con felt small fish are sweet. Eventually the migrant made his own application, filled out the documents and application form himself and obtained his visa. He was The One Who Got Away. I won't give his name lest there is a knock on his door. You cannot be too careful in Howard's Australia. The tragic plight of Ljuben Nedelkoski... Not so fortunate was his friend, Ljuben Nedelkoski, a friendly intense man who runs another restaurant a few kilometers away. I can use his name because it has been published in an official inquiry that rejected his visa application. Unless his case is publicized he could be removed to Macedonia and his business collapse. So here goes. Ljuben Nedelkoski is the proprietor of the Gurman Restaurant, 434-436 Princes Highway, Rockdale, Sydney, a brightly-lit, fresh-looking place next to Rockdale Library in Sydney. Ring him on 02 9599 6233. You'll enjoy this place. For Macedonian Australians and their pals it is more than a place to eat. It is a place to talk about the beauty of the central valley carved by the Vardar River, the fish that abound in the huge lakes Ohrid, Prespa and Dojran, of dead friends, cousins, weddings, rugged alpine sceneries remembered from boyhood, of the 1963 earthquake that killed more than a thousand people in Skopje , of the resistance to the Nazis, the devastation of the landlocked country by invaders of all descriptions, the 38 per cent unemployment, internal wars between Muslim and Christian. Memories are made of this. There's plenty to remember, such as exquisite 11th century monasteries perfectly preserved today; the Ohrid collection of icons is only outshone by Sinai and Moscow; it is third in importance in Orthodoxy. It's also a place to appreciate the wild beauty of their new homeland and the success many of them have made here. Aussie businessmen of all descriptions dine in Ljuben's place and share their success stories. So some of them are puzzled to see Ljuben's perpetual smile fade at times and an anxious expression flit across his face. He's a hard worker, he has three staff and the place is popular, so what could there be to worry about? Another raki, and you discover that he has been treated in a scandalous fashion which may be attributed either to criminality or incompetence, depending on how you read Immigration Tribunal records. You find that Ljuben paid more than ten thousand dollars to an agent. [It could be more, but you know what wives are like!] The agent gave a dud cheque to the Immigration Department and did nothing to help his visa application. I am surprised until I realize that it is remarkably easy to become an agent, little qualifications and scrutiny needed. He worked as a qualified chef before establishing his own restaurant. He teaches culinary skills to local youth. His three workers are happy to have him as the boss. Ljuben provides employment, pays taxes. His children Kire, 13 years, Sara 11 years and Sanja 9 years go to local schools and are doing well as young Aussies. His wife, Elicia, is a well respected member of the Rockdale community. Unlike the agent, his cheques are not duds. A tragedy for the Rockdale community... To plunge this family back into Macedonia would be a tragedy for the Rockdale community. But to read MRT file number NO600721 of the Australian Government Migration Review Tribunal is to weep or shout in anger. Despite the incompetence of the original application (no fault of his) the Tribunal has refused to grant the application of Mr Ljuben Nedelkoski for a review of the decision to refuse him a business visa. What lies ahead? More legal expense, possible closure of the business? Mr Ruddock and Senator Vanstone, if ever there was a case for your intervention, this is it. To uproot this family and ruin their business would be a great sin, a shame for all Australians. And by the way, change the name of that detention centre. Remember, Veritas Vincit. Truth Prevails. What are your thoughts on this commentary? You can contribute to the discussion in our forum. Cliff Baxter can be contacted at: ©2006 Clifford Baxter |
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The
Baxter Detention Centre, if it decided to use the motto of the Clan Baxter,
would put up a sign Truth Prevails (Veritas Vincit). This
would be as ludicrous as the German over Auschwitz Concentration Camp,
Arbeit macht Frei (Work Makes Freedom).
