Chaos, death and suffering on our doorstep

Australia's immigration minister, Senator Amanda Vanstone, recently argued that proponents of West Papuan independence should not be offered Australia's protection under the 1951 Refugee Convention because 'Separatism is a toxic cause that could, if encouraged, result in chaos, death and suffering on our doorstep.' Klaus Neumann comments on the extraordinary events prompted by the arrival of 43 West Papuan asylum seekers in Australia in January 2006 to reflect on the historical origins and overall direction of Australia's current response to refugees and asylum seekers.