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Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
How Australia became home to a million refugees
Tran, who was eight at the time, counts herself as lucky that they did not encounter pirates roaming the oceans they had heard stories about. Her father had worked in a warehouse affiliated with the American army during the war, and feared he had a target on his back. On their 14th attempt, the family made it to a Malaysian refugee camp. Following months of processing, Tran remembers landing in Sydney on a rainy afternoon the following year. 'It was just joyous,' she said. 'To this day, I still love the rain, and when I'm in long car rides and it's raining, yeah, those moments come back.' Tran is a board director for six organisations ranging from liquor regulation to family violence and financial counselling for women, and said she was motivated to create opportunities for those who otherwise wouldn't have them. 'That's what I've been gifted by just being in Australia,' Tran, who sits on the Victorian Liquor Commission, said. 'We get to live without fear, and we get to live being able to make the most of what the community provides us.' John Howard's Coalition government began processing refugees offshore in 2001 after the Tampa, a ship carrying 433 mostly Hazara asylum-seekers, grabbed national attention as it tried to enter Australian waters. The Rudd Labor government dismantled the policy in 2008, with then-minister for immigration and citizenship Chris Evans labelling it a 'cynical, costly and ultimately unsuccessful exercise'. Four years later, then-prime minister Julia Gillard, under political pressure from opposition leader Tony Abbott, reintroduced offshore processing. The policy was strengthened under the Abbott government's 'Operation Sovereign Borders' program, which continues to this day with bipartisan support. There were 93 people on Nauru at the end of last year, according to the Refugee Council of Australia. Faqihi, an ambassador for the council, said her family had been threatened with violence and barred from sending their children to school in Afghanistan as members of the Hazara ethnic minority. She believed Indonesia, where the family moved in 2012, would provide safety and educational opportunities for six months before a country took them in permanently. But Faqihi and her family were stuck for a decade in processing limbo, unable to get an education or work or access public services because of her refugee status. 'Those 10 years were the darkest moments of my life,' she said. 'We lived through a decade of uncertainty … without any say in the most important decisions being made about our lives.' Eventually arriving in Australia in 2022 was like being reborn, she said. The Department of Home Affairs said the refugee program for the 2024-25 financial year had 20,000 places. Loading The UK, which has a much larger population than Australia and is also going through a major immigration debate, accepted 93,342 refugees and asylum seekers in the 2023-24 financial year. The US resettled 100,034 refugees in the same year, according to the Migration Policy Institute. The United Nations has found Australia has violated the human rights of refugees detained in offshore processing, and the policy has been widely criticised by advocates as inhumane. Faqihi continues to advocate for the almost 12,000 displaced people in limbo in Indonesia. 'There is a lot Australia can do as a leader in the region,' she said. 'Australia can respond by expanding resettlement visas, especially for those who are stuck in the region and our neighbourhood regions.' Tran said: 'I just hope that Australians continue to take refugees, not because we might add value or anything, but ... because it's the right thing to do, and the best thing you can offer someone is a chance to be Australian.'
The Age
a day ago
- Politics
- The Age
How Australia became home to a million refugees
Tran, who was eight at the time, counts herself as lucky that they did not encounter pirates roaming the oceans they had heard stories about. Her father had worked in a warehouse affiliated with the American army during the war, and feared he had a target on his back. On their 14th attempt, the family made it to a Malaysian refugee camp. Following months of processing, Tran remembers landing in Sydney on a rainy afternoon the following year. 'It was just joyous,' she said. 'To this day, I still love the rain, and when I'm in long car rides and it's raining, yeah, those moments come back.' Tran is a board director for six organisations ranging from liquor regulation to family violence and financial counselling for women, and said she was motivated to create opportunities for those who otherwise wouldn't have them. 'That's what I've been gifted by just being in Australia,' Tran, who sits on the Victorian Liquor Commission, said. 'We get to live without fear, and we get to live being able to make the most of what the community provides us.' John Howard's Coalition government began processing refugees offshore in 2001 after the Tampa, a ship carrying 433 mostly Hazara asylum-seekers, grabbed national attention as it tried to enter Australian waters. The Rudd Labor government dismantled the policy in 2008, with then-minister for immigration and citizenship Chris Evans labelling it a 'cynical, costly and ultimately unsuccessful exercise'. Four years later, then-prime minister Julia Gillard, under political pressure from opposition leader Tony Abbott, reintroduced offshore processing. The policy was strengthened under the Abbott government's 'Operation Sovereign Borders' program, which continues to this day with bipartisan support. There were 93 people on Nauru at the end of last year, according to the Refugee Council of Australia. Faqihi, an ambassador for the council, said her family had been threatened with violence and barred from sending their children to school in Afghanistan as members of the Hazara ethnic minority. She believed Indonesia, where the family moved in 2012, would provide safety and educational opportunities for six months before a country took them in permanently. But Faqihi and her family were stuck for a decade in processing limbo, unable to get an education or work or access public services because of her refugee status. 'Those 10 years were the darkest moments of my life,' she said. 'We lived through a decade of uncertainty … without any say in the most important decisions being made about our lives.' Eventually arriving in Australia in 2022 was like being reborn, she said. The Department of Home Affairs said the refugee program for the 2024-25 financial year had 20,000 places. Loading The UK, which has a much larger population than Australia and is also going through a major immigration debate, accepted 93,342 refugees and asylum seekers in the 2023-24 financial year. The US resettled 100,034 refugees in the same year, according to the Migration Policy Institute. The United Nations has found Australia has violated the human rights of refugees detained in offshore processing, and the policy has been widely criticised by advocates as inhumane. Faqihi continues to advocate for the almost 12,000 displaced people in limbo in Indonesia. 'There is a lot Australia can do as a leader in the region,' she said. 'Australia can respond by expanding resettlement visas, especially for those who are stuck in the region and our neighbourhood regions.' Tran said: 'I just hope that Australians continue to take refugees, not because we might add value or anything, but ... because it's the right thing to do, and the best thing you can offer someone is a chance to be Australian.'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Digital arrest scam: Delhi doctor duped of Rs 15 lakh; 2 arrested
New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) A bank employee, who arranged corporate bank accounts for cyber frauds on commission, has been apprehended from West Bengal's Kolkata in connection with a 'digital arrest' scam wherein a Delhi-based doctor was duped of around Rs 15 lakh, an official on Saturday said. The accused, identified as Buddhadev Hazara (31), has worked in the loan departments of several banks, he added. The official said that Hazara, an MBA graduate from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, allegedly started arranging corporate bank accounts for cyber frauds on commission under the influence of a man named John from Barrackpore, West Bengal. One more accused, identified as Md Sahin Khan (30), has been apprehended from Karnataka's Bengaluru after a Delhi-based doctor was defrauded of Rs 14.85 lakh, he added. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo by Taboola by Taboola Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rishi Kumar said that at least 10 more complaints from various states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka, have been found linked to the same bank accounts operated by the accused. "The complainant, a doctor based in Delhi, alleged that he received a phone call from someone posing as a government official who threatened him with arrest in a fabricated legal case. The caller coerced the doctor into transferring Rs 14,85,921 to avoid digital arrest," he added. A case was registered under sections 170 (impersonating a public servant), 384 (extortion), 388 (extortion by threat of accusation), 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) following the complaint at the Cyber Police Station, Central District, the officer said. The technical analysis revealed that the defrauded amount was transferred to a bank account in the name of 'S.K. Rice Wholesaler & Trading' and another person on February 26, he added. The officer said the investigators used digital surveillance to track the accused and arrested Sahin Khan near Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru on July 2. "During questioning, Khan disclosed that he had shared his bank account credentials, including internet banking details, cheque book and ATM card, with Buddhadev Hazara in exchange for a commission of Rs 1.5 lakh," said Kumar, adding that Hazara was later traced and arrested from Kolkata. Hazara admitted to receiving Rs 3 lakh in total from the fraud, out of which he gave half to Khan, police said. Efforts are underway to trace the other members of the racket, including the alleged mastermind John, and to recover the defrauded money, they said. Four mobile phones -- two from each accused -- were recovered, police said.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- New Indian Express
Two arrested for duping doctor of around Rs 15 lakh in digital arrest scam
NEW DELHI: A 31-year-old former bank employee was arrested from West Bengal for arranging accounts for cyber fraudsters who duped a Delhi-based doctor of over Rs 14 lakh through a digital arrest call. Another person, who gave his account details, was also nabbed from Bengaluru. The accused have been identified as Mohammad Sahin Khan (31) and Buddhadev Hazara, both residents of West more such complaints —two from Maharashtra, two from Gujarat, two from Telangana, one from Delhi, one from Andhra Pradesh, one from Kerala and one from Karnataka —got linked to the account numbers of accused for fraud with the same modus operandi. A case of cyber fraud was reported in the Central district by a Delhi-based doctor who stated that he was deceived by an imposter posing as a government official. The victim reportedly received a fraudulent digital arrest call and was forced to transfer Rs 14.85 lakh under the threat of legal action. During the investigation, it was found that the cheated amount was transferred on February 26 to a bank account held in the name of SK Rice Wholesaler and Trading and another individual. Police traced the location of the accused in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and apprehended Khan on July 2 from near Victoria Hospital, a senior police officer said. The accused disclosed that he had provided his bank account details to Hazara. He received a commission of `Rs 1.5 lakh from Hazara, who was arrested in Kolkata. During interrogation, Hazara said that he initially worked in the loan departments of various banks. Later he met John from Barrackpore, West Bengal, and began arranging corporate accounts for online fraud on commission. Hazara earned `3 lakh for facilitating Khan's account and split the amount equally with him, according to the officer. Further investigation is underway to locate John and to trace other suspects linked to the racket. Efforts are being made to recover the cheated money and examine the financial trail.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Indian Express
Delhi Police arrest 2 in digital arrest scam
The Delhi Police have busted a digital arrest scam and arrested two key accused from Bengaluru and Kolkata, officials said on Saturday. The crackdown came after a Delhi-based doctor who was allegedly defrauded of Rs 14.85 lakh registered a complaint. One of the accused, Mohammad Sahin Khan, was arrested from near Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, on July 2, while the other individual Budhadeb Hazara, an MBA graduate, was later nabbed from Kolkata, they said. According to the police, investigations have revealed that the bank accounts used in the doctor's case are linked to at least 10 other similar complaints filed across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka. The same modus operandi involving fake digital arrest calls and extortion tactics was used in these cases, they said. The doctor allegedly received a threatening call from an individual posing as a government officer who coerced him into transferring the amount under the pretense of a digital arrest, the police said. According to the Delhi Police, a special team tracked the fraudulent transaction that took place on February 26, 2024, to a bank account operated under a fake address of S K Rice Wholesaler & Trading, the police said. 'Through technical surveillance and analysis of digital trails, the team traced the location of the accused in Bengaluru,' said Nidhin Valsan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central. During interrogation, Khan disclosed that he had had provided his bank account details to Budhadeb Hazara, a resident of West Bengal on his advice and allurement, he said. 'For giving his bank account's internet user ID and password, cheque book, and ATM card, he received a commission of Rs 1.5 lakh from Hazara,' DCP Valsan added. Hazara revealed that he had earlier worked in the loan departments of several banks before being drawn into online fraud activities through a person named John from Barrackpore in West Bengal. Hazara admitted to receiving Rs 3 lakh for using Khan's account, which he split equally, said the police. Efforts are on to trace the main handler John and other suspects involved in this cybercrime racket, the police said. Authorities are also working to recover the defrauded amount and examine the broader financial network of the accused. Four mobile phones—two from each accused—have been recovered, which are now being analyzed for further leads. The police had registered a case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 170, 384, 388, 420 and 120B.
