The Haneef release: an international view
by major mitchell Friday, Jul 27 2007, 12:34pm
national /
social/political /
commentary
From an international perspective the Haneef case in Australia reveals ingrained, systemic racism, dysfunction, possible criminal collusion at senior government levels, appalling incompetence of Federal Police and the failure of associated legal institutions. For a developed western nation, the above makes for a very damning report card.
John Howard’s Australia has become dysfunctional, myopic, inward looking and seems to be completely oblivious to the image it presents to the rest of the world, particularly in the Asia Pacific region inhabited by a variety of racial groups and cultures. The treatment dished out to a dark-skinned, highly educated, Indian medical doctor borders on the overt racism experienced by numerous cultures in the 19th century – such is the retrogressive ideology of John Howard!
The entire Asian World waited in vain for Dr. Haneef to receive an apology or some other gesture of regret from the Howard government; however, as is now internationally known no apologies were forthcoming – Howard viewed the whole affair purely as a failed political strategy.
Media commentary revolved around responsible parties running for cover and buck-passing. The whole nation -- including the media -- ignored the severe injustice and trauma Dr. Haneef experienced. The racism of this pathetic little nation is so ingrained it has become normalised or ‘natural’ – it hadn’t occurred to senior officials and others who should know better that WE OWE THIS MAN AN APOLOGY! Australia seems far too busy navel-gazing to even recognise the fact. John Howard, his ministers, senior public servants and supporters can gloat over the biased and unfair treatment a dark-skinned foreigner received. We should therefore not be surprised if the international community treats Australian citizens in similar fashion -- the recent stabbing of an Aussie tourist in Europe may be evidence of the world reacting to the overt racism of John Howard and his government.
But the worst is yet to come. The totally inept manner in which the case was brought to the courts and the incompetence displayed by Australian regulatory authorities invites (begs) terrorists to make their ‘statements’ in Australia – especially, one would think, at the forthcoming APEC summit.
Consider this and consider it well – the whole beat-up and debacle of the Haneef case centred on a ‘SIM card’ – the nation was thrown into media hysteria over a SIM card! Contrast this inoffensive artefact with real bombings and killings committed by real Croatian terrorists in the sixties and seventies in downtown Sydney and understand that the nation rightly interpreted those acts as CRIMINAL and not deserving of the ‘terrorist’ hype that a SIM card receives today. I reiterate for the few slow to comprehend real blood, death, bombings and terrorist training camps in rural NSW compared with John Howard and Philip Ruddock’s SIM card!
Australia’s encounter with real terrorists was dealt with not by the AFP, ASIO, ASIS, ONA, ADF or any other bureaucratic department. The NSW State police in the form of the Special Branch effectively eliminated the threat utilising EXISTING LAWS, surveillance methods and undercover police work. The Labor Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, deported the offenders to their country of origin where they were dealt with according to their own laws and culture.
[A ‘S-I-M card’!]
John Howard and his failed State Institutions have advertised to the entire world (of real terrorists) that we are a bunch of cowering, cringing, incompetent buffoons; furthermore, our agencies and security organisations begin to unravel if placed under the slightest pressure – that is how the Dr. Haneef case presents to the world!
Well done Aussie -- Oink, Oink, Oink!