provide refuge for people

Idiot/Savant at no right turn says exactly what I think about these plans to build a detention processing centre on East Timor for refugees and the motivation behind john keys fears of an invasion of boat people. We all want to stop people trafficers but additionally abusing the victims is not the answer.

"Australia's policy is racist, illegal and immoral." sums it up from here

and

"We've never had a boat full of illegal immigrants arrive in New Zealand (unless you count the British in 1840). We've never had one even get close. But we have politicians whipping up racism and fear, culminating today in Key echoing Howard in saying "We reserve the right to determine who comes to New Zealand and who doesn't come."" from here

There is something off about this attitude to people in need. I have just moved and that was stressful enough - to move countires and cultures and continents, to be forced to, to be so afraid - I have not had that experience but I do know that it must be terrifying. I listened to a wonderful radio play last week "The Outsiders, by Ben Story" which looked at refugees from a kiwi perspective - ordinary kiwis were the refugees and to hear their woes and situation, their confusion and incomprehension of what was happening and what had happened, was frightening. And to know that the radio play was based upon the testamony of actual refugees and that everything in the play actually happened to someone - well, it really blew me away and made me think about how we have to do everything we can to help support these people and help them build a home and some safety.