The securitization of Asylum Seekers by Australia
Orin Troyer
Introduction
By the conclusion of 2014, in accordance to reports of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) there are approximately 59.5 million displaced people globally as a result of conflict, violence, environmental degradation and human rights violations. Of these, approximately 19.5 million are classified as an asylum seeker or refugee collectively. A refugee is a person who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion (cite convention). Whilst an Asylum seeker is someone who claims …show more content…
To clearly present this argument, the case will be divided into four sections; (1) will provided a framework and development of the concept of securitization, (2) focuses on the history of Australia’s treatment to displaced people (2) assess the link between the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States and Australia’s justification for the security measures taken against refugee and asylum seekers, especially those arriving by boat, and (4) evaluates other perceived threats asylum seekers and refugees pose to the well-being of the …show more content…
The securitization of asylum seeker arriving by boat, and the linkage of these so called ‘boat people’ to the war on terror provided the Howard administration with political rent seeking benefits. Gale (2004) notes that Howard’s campaign for the November 2001 elections ensured that the refugee crisis was closely linked with the war on terror following September 11. Though a sad time for the west, the September 11 attacks on the United States came at an opportune time to provide a new context for the exclusion of asylum seekers (Clyne 185). As harsh as the conditions the previous legislations enforced by the Howard government was on asylum seekers, the linkage of border protection to the war on terror, produced stricter and more justifiable laws against those seeking asylum. As McDonald (2005) notes the events of September 11 underscored the need for vigilance about migration practices and raised the spectre of terrorists hiding themselves among asylum-seekers attempting to reach Australian territory. Thus the events of September 11 saw the most direct attempts on the government’s part to position asylum-seekers as threats to Australian
Orin Troyer
Introduction
By the conclusion of 2014, in accordance to reports of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) there are approximately 59.5 million displaced people globally as a result of conflict, violence, environmental degradation and human rights violations. Of these, approximately 19.5 million are classified as an asylum seeker or refugee collectively. A refugee is a person who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion (cite convention). Whilst an Asylum seeker is someone who claims …show more content…
To clearly present this argument, the case will be divided into four sections; (1) will provided a framework and development of the concept of securitization, (2) focuses on the history of Australia’s treatment to displaced people (2) assess the link between the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States and Australia’s justification for the security measures taken against refugee and asylum seekers, especially those arriving by boat, and (4) evaluates other perceived threats asylum seekers and refugees pose to the well-being of the …show more content…
The securitization of asylum seeker arriving by boat, and the linkage of these so called ‘boat people’ to the war on terror provided the Howard administration with political rent seeking benefits. Gale (2004) notes that Howard’s campaign for the November 2001 elections ensured that the refugee crisis was closely linked with the war on terror following September 11. Though a sad time for the west, the September 11 attacks on the United States came at an opportune time to provide a new context for the exclusion of asylum seekers (Clyne 185). As harsh as the conditions the previous legislations enforced by the Howard government was on asylum seekers, the linkage of border protection to the war on terror, produced stricter and more justifiable laws against those seeking asylum. As McDonald (2005) notes the events of September 11 underscored the need for vigilance about migration practices and raised the spectre of terrorists hiding themselves among asylum-seekers attempting to reach Australian territory. Thus the events of September 11 saw the most direct attempts on the government’s part to position asylum-seekers as threats to Australian