NEW HOME, NEW BEGINNING PART TWO
DURING the festive week, The Chronicle will profile refugee families from different walks of life, discussing the opportunities and challenges that come with a fresh start in Toowoomba. The second instalment of ‘New Home, New Beginning’, done in collaboration with organisation CatholicCare TRAMS, features the Othman family from Syria.
MUSTAFA and Ramia Othman can send their children to school at Mt Lofty, knowing they won’t face religious persecution like they did in Syria.
It’s one of the many things they are thankful for as the Yazidi family celebrates nearly 18 months living in Australia, most of that in Toowoomba.
Brought in through the Federal Government’s refugee intake in 2017, the family of six resides in North Toowoomba and tries to get their lives back on track with the help of notfor-profit CatholicCare TRAMS.
The Yazidis, an ancient ethno-religious minority based around Syria and Iraq, suffered greatly at the hands of Islamic State from 2014.
But Mr Othman said the 2014 genocide by ISIS was the extreme end of a history of persecution from Muslims and theocratic governments.
“The differentiation between here and Syria is that we can’t introduce ourselves as Yazidi (over there),” he said through interpreter and case worker Yousef Roumiah.
“We are supposed to introduce ourselves as a Muslim.
“The discrimination for the Yazidi was very common.”
This discrimination was also faced by Mr Othman’s two eldest children Avista and Wissam when they went to school.
“If the teacher knew a child was Yazidi, maybe he will fail him in his class,” he said.
“Also, the government would enforce my children to study the Islamic religion.
“They have a good relationship
‘‘ THE DISCRIMINATION FOR THE YAZIDI WAS VERY COMMON. MUSTAFA OTHMAN
with their teachers (in Australia) – there is a friendship there.”
Wissam, 14, and his sister Avista, said they enjoyed school and had a grasp of English after 16 months.
But while Mr Othman can understand some of the questions asked of him, he admitted the language barrier was still frustrating.
Mr Othman said he wanted to get back to driving trucks as soon as he could.
But Australia’s requirements for English levels and qualifications have held him back so far.
“The main challenge was the language. But here, in addition to the language, everywhere they need certificates and Australian experience to find a job,” Mr Othman said.
“When I apply for jobs, they tell me I’ll need to get this certificate or this TAFE training.
“When I go to the TAFE to get the certificate, they told me my English was not good enough to get it.”
The family is supported by funding through Centrelink, a situation Mr Othman said made him feel uncomfortable.
“Centrelink pays for us, but I feel shame to take this money without doing anything. I used to work and get money from my work,” he said.
“I wasn’t used to getting money for not doing anything.”
The lack of short-term job opportunities has Mr Othman and other Yazidi families considering a move to the bigger cities to find work.
But Mr Othman said he’d prefer to stay in Toowoomba, as it was good for his children and the family was embracing Australian culture.
“It’s quite a relaxing town and a very quiet city. All my neighbours are from Australia – I like that,” he said.
“The schools are very safe for them and I think they’ll be very happy here.
“Everything is better here than the big cities except for the (lack of jobs) issue.”
TRAMS has supported Mr Othman with applying for jobs and improving his language skills.
He praised the efforts of director Kate Venables and the team.