Rare human rights success in Australia

The safe return to Australian soil of Hakeem al-Araibi, the Bahraini refugee footballer trapped in a Thai jail for the past three months, should be an inspiration for anyone who sees injustice but despairs of putting it right. Araibi, who served time in a Bahraini jail in a crackdown on dissent, escaped to Australia in 2014 and was granted refugee status. He was enjoying life in Melbourne, playing semiprofessional soccer, but then he was put in jail when he went on a holiday to Thailand and faced deportation back to his tormentors in Bahrain.

Former Socceroos star Craig Foster and a few others decided they must stop that happening. By lobbying and agitating, they eventually convinced the Australian Government and the global soccer community to join the fight. From small beginnings they have now finally overcome the legal system of Thailand’s military government and the corrupt power of Gulf oil money. The episode is a welcome example of Australia putting human rights at the top of its diplomatic agenda.

Yet, this raises the question of why we sometimes show much less empathy for other refugees from the Middle East, who are not highprofile footballers. Hopefully, Araibi’s case will deepen understanding of why asylum seekers flee their homes and why they are so terrified of returning. It should help to humanise refugees at a time some are trying to paint them as a threat.