Three days ago, the Australian health ministry stated, "From Monday, anyone who has been in India within 14 days of their intended arrival date in Australia will be banned from entering the country. Failing to comply with the new ruling could result in a five-year jail sentence, an A$66,000 (£37,000) fine, or both. The decision will be reviewed on 15 May, the health ministry said." - BBC
As Covid is surging in India and the death count records new highs every day; it is expected that countries will ban travel to and from India. United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, and New Zealand, etc. already imposed restrictions.
What makes Australia different from others is, they banned their own citizen's from coming back!!! On top of that, they made it a criminal offense!!!
Passport
Isn't our passport supposed to come to our aid during emergencies? Isn't it the responsibility of Australia to look after their citizens and bring them home wherever possible? What more interesting (or I would say ironic) is, when Australia made it difficult for their own citizens to come back (not only from India); tennis stars (for Australian open) and celebrities (Hollywood stars) were able to visit the country very easily.
Most other countries will come to the help of their ordinary citizens when they are overseas and in danger. Even poor India rescued her citizens after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990 (airlifted more than 110 thousand people by operating 488 flights). Rescued her citizens and that of neighboring nations from Lebanon in 2006; from Libya in 2011. Even during the Covid pandemic, Indian naval ships were bringing people back.
For far-away island nations like Australia, closing the borders easier. It will make the people who are already inside safe.
The problem is, in a globalized world people travel to other countries to visit their relatives or to work/study. It is not very uncommon to see father and mother are citizens of a country and their son/daughter (their spouse) are citizens of a different country. People do visit their relatives in other countries. If they want to come back to their home country (whose passport they hold) it is the responsibility of that country to help them.
If they cannot help its fine; at least do not make it criminal to come back. Countries like Australia, which has a lot of resources at their disposal, can build quarantine facilities for those who come back.
Sajeev
References:
No comments:
Post a Comment