Seeing Red..

image

Tape, that is.  There are times that mindless, senseless bureaucracy makes me stabby.  Today is one of those days.  This morning, Mrs Woog over at Woogsworld linked to this article on Twitter

This little man's name is Saiman Hussaini and he is 14 months old.  As you can see, he is ill.  He was born with Muscular Dystrophy.  And even worse, his Mama died while giving birth to him. 

So his Daddy,  Mr Hussaini, a Pakistani refugee, now an Australian citizen who has been here a decade,  is left to raise his little man on his own.

From http://www.abc.net.au/

The Federal Government is refusing to grant visas to the Pakistani family of a seriously ill boy in Adelaide.


The relatives of Saiman Hussaini have appealed to the Prime Minister to visit the 14-month-old boy, who was born with muscular dystrophy in Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital.

But the Government has rejected the requests because of concerns the family would not return to Pakistan.

Saiman's mother died while giving birth to him and now his father, Fareed Hussaini, is trying to raise him alone.  Mr Hussaini, an Australian citizen who arrived 10 years ago as a refugee from Quetta in Pakistan, has made his life in Adelaide.

"It is very, very hard. If anyone loses a family, loses a wife or husband, they know what I'm feeling," Mr Hussaini said.
His wife Saima also came from Quetta. Her family was excitedly waiting for the birth of Saiman in March last year.

Instead, her mother Zakia Assa Khan and her brother Mohammad Atif Ali received the news that Saima had died.  Ms Khan says the moment she found out her daughter had died felt like "the sky and earth" had fallen on her.  Saima's brother, Mr Ali, says he was in total shock.  "It was almost unbelievable. I [did] not [believe] that my sister was dead," he said.

Saima's family wants to come to Australia to find out why she died and to see baby Saiman, who is too ill and disabled to travel to them.

Saiman's grandmother and uncle applied for visas to visit Australia in November last year, but they were rejected by the Department of Immigration.

Department spokesman Sandi Logan says the decision was based on several factors.

But human rights advocate and registered migration agent Marion Le believes the outcome is inhumane and tragic for Saiman and his father.
"This is clearly a compassionate case. You've got an Australian citizen here in Australia with an Australian citizen child and they are both suffering," she said.
Saiman's family received a notice saying their visas were rejected because immigration officials believe the situation is so dangerous in Quetta, the family may refuse to return from Australia.

The notice says: "Since the year 2003, more than 260 people belonging to the Hazaran community in Quetta have been killed in targeted shootings and more than 1,000 injured".

Saiman's relatives are members of the Hazara ethnic group, of which, a large number settled in Quetta because of sectarian killings and discrimination in Afghanistan.

Ms Le says the frank assessment by the department is remarkable and could be "solid gold" for anyone in the area wanting to seek refugee status in Australia.

But baby Saiman's uncle, Mr Ali, says the family is not seeking asylum in Australia, just a visit.

"We want justice from the Australian Government that our family see the baby," he said.

The family has written to Julia Gillard and Immigration Minister Chris Bowen pleading for permission to visit Australia, but Mr Logan says the decision may not be any different.

"This is not a visa application that has been rejected that can be appealed, so there'll be no reconsideration," he said.

Baby Saiman's grandmother says she still dreams that one day she will be able to come to Australia and hold her grandson.

By South Asia correspondent Sally Sara

I know that immigration laws are a sticky subject in this country.  I know that people are heavily divided on the matter.  And I confess to being a 'bleeding heart leftie" who thinks our immigrations laws are far to stringent and that we can afford to open our shores to more people.

I also am a realist and understand the other side of the story, where people say we have to think more long term, about sustainablility.  And that others still worry about security risks.

To that last one, I say Pfft. Can we really not see ourselves clear to take each family on a case-by-case basis and see that in this one, at least, it is simply a matter of compassion?  This man needs his family around him.  He needs familiar people, who understand his loss and his grief and who can love Saiman like he does.

Personally, I think they should be allowed to move here, should they wish to do so to suppport him.  But they aren't even asking for that.  They just want to see him.

But no.  There's too much chance they'll actually like it here.  Prefer it to the dangerous conditions they are living in.  Want to stay with their son and brother-in-law and grandson.

I say let them.  I say, Ms Gillard and Chris Bown, let them.  Show some humanity for heaven's sake. Forget the polls, for just a moment (oh! The horror!) and let this baby meet his family.

My first double FYBF entry!  Glowess is hosting Flog Your Blog Friday at the moment, so hop on over and join in.