Combatting prejudice: African Australian refugee youth

Most of us only know what we hear in the news about African refugees. But we need to know whether these boys and girls get as much attention to their needs when becoming Australian citizens as do our most privileged children.

The warm feeling from bringing them to this land of the free away from appalling circumstances is not enough - just as the warm feeling from planting hundreds of trees is not enough, if the trees die uncared for.

Australia’s refugee history is that of accepting people who are increasingly unlike the first British settlers, although this is always done while retaining some prejudice. The more alike the first settlers, the easier they are to accept.

Nineteenth century immigration of very alien Chinese and Afghans set off the White Australia Policy. The pre-war Jewish refugees were mostly educated middle-class Europeans: they still faced some anti-Semitism. Postwar immigration began with more from familiar stock, nevertheless labelled “whinging Poms’, and the blue-eyed, fair-haired refugees also looking like Brits were called “Bloody Balts”. The next European immigrants included olive-complexioned peasants; they were called “wogs”, and even “New Australians” became a term of abuse.

Each immigrant wave was also prejudiced towards the next wave. In schools there were fights, such as between Middle-Eastern Cypriots, Turks and Lebanese, whose cultures and religions were even more alien. Vietnamese refugees, the next big wave, were still more unlike in appearance, race, and language, but many found comfortable acceptance as Catholics.

Today students from Asia, hoping to stay, usually have the advantages of education and enough English to fit in and make their way. Brown Pacific Islanders can have advantages of English, familiarity with Europeans, and our image of their exotic island homes, but they may still have social difficulties gaining employment and in their cultural behaviour.

All along aid has come from the government, churches, voluntary organisations, friendly neighbours, and the associations that immigrants set up. Aid to settle in, English tutoring, encouraging multiculturalism and celebrating diversity have all had successes and failures.

The newest wave, the black refugees from the Horn of Africa, are the most different from our present cultural mix. Africans have been coming to Australia for many years. Most have been English-speakers from European ex- colonies, and able to fit into our communities. However, many of the African refugees admitted since 1984 come with the most disadvantages, after great suffering, from places famine-ridden or war torn, with least transmission of culture, education and experience of civil government.

Government assistance to migrants has been lessening as the bigger waves have subsided. There is greater need for voluntary support and local African associations.

The most disadvantaged of all the black African refugees are the teenage boys. Many with no education at all are flung into age-level classes in secondary schools and may sink rather than swim. Their English language assistance may not help them with their class-work. Girls, too, may lose their way and drop out, and few notice their plight. The boys are noticeable when they cause trouble to others.

Many live in families of eight or more, crammed into small housing. They have no space for homework, or access to the computers other students take for granted. Fathers as role models may be working away from home, unemployed, or just not there. Women and girls may receive more volunteers’ help with English and needed skills - they may attend more regularly and be easier to teach. The men and boys tend to have rangy athletic builds, and other Australians can be a bit scared of them.

The most disadvantaged of all African boys come alone and have no relatives here. With awful experiences beyond our imagining, they may have had to develop tactics to survive which are not acceptable here.

Some get into trouble. Some congregate in gangs for safety and friendship and police and public naturally don’t like this. The boys are not savvy and can be drawn into drugs, alcohol and crime, especially assaults. They respond to difficulties with anger and violence. Then a bad reputation for all spreads from the proportionally few instances. Prejudice because they look black, unfamiliar and a bit scary becomes hatred.

What results from criminal records and jail? Do they get mixed up with more bad crowds? Do they receive special separate aid to return as competent and confident citizens to job and education opportunities?

Some may or not be terrorists, arriving already hating, or driven to hate or paranoia. What happens then?

The media reveal some of the hostility they may face. “Melbourne’s Indian and Pakistani taxi drivers are being bashed and robbed by African youth gangs” (Herald-Sun). “The hot spot for inter-racial violence … Between May 8 and August 2 there were 12 reported robberies on taxi drivers in (western Melbourne suburbs) … In every case the victims told police their attackers were African and there was always more than one. Knives are the weapon in most taxi robberies, but meat cleavers and screw drivers have also been used." This news must not be censored, but how can effects on readers’ prejudices be mitigated?

What can be done? People are a little unwilling to invite strangers into their homes whose reputation may be wild or destructive.

African women can be easily employable for their charm and hard work. Their beauty gives opportunities for status jobs, including modelling. Males can have problems unless outstanding at sport. The patterns of Black American experience that go down generations could be repeated here, especially if teen pregnancies and single motherhood are not prevented.

Much needed aid is also needed by other Australian youth and adults too.

Mentors for every African boy under 21 would be a good start: to keep in touch with them into adulthood. These mentors would ensure they are seen as friends and helpers, and could be replaced if they do not get on. All boys need adult friends outside the family - it is sad that so much mistrust now permeates society.

Make literacy easier for people who have never had any experiences or idea about reading. Test out experimental innovations to let learners find out what helps them - including self-help with DVDs and online, and an initial learning spelling starting with a one-sound-one-symbol pronunciation guide also used in dictionaries. School media departments could develop them. They could be available from workplaces, libraries, after-school homework clubs and in back pages “for new readers” in print media.

Remand should not be introductions to criminal associations but opportunities for education, knowing about the wider world, discovering talents and potential, and better alternatives for pleasure and comforting than drugs and liquor. A study by Mission Australia compares the average cost of $150,000 per year to keep someone in the juvenile justice system to the $2,500 or so for a diversionary program to prevent them getting into trouble in the first place. Mission Australia’s community-based programs are reported to reduce offending rates by up to two-thirds.

A current government initiative gives indigenous delinquent youth experience working on cattle stations. This could suit Dinka youth too, coming originally from cattle-raising villages and loving cattle.

African youth have more chance living in less cramped housing for large families. It is also in Australia’s long-term interest to encourage smaller families generally, to give all children better economic conditions, as well as to stabilise the population for tomorrow’s needs. Nowhere should baby bonuses and child payments be essential for family income.

Emotions run high on all these matters, yet they must be thought about coolly and with kindliness.