Tony Abbott should take 5000 extra refugees

Tony Abbott’s commitment to take more refugees from Syria, especially those from persecuted minorities already in refugee camps, must surely refer mainly to Syrian Christians.

In recent decades, no minority has been so thoroughly and shamelessly and murderously persecuted across the Middle East as the region’s dwindling Christian population.

However, other minorities, such as the grievously embattled Yazidis, also have been hard hit and are bound to figure in the numbers Australia takes.

The Prime Minister would be well advised to announce at least a one-off increase of 5000 or more places, above the normal refugee quota, and quickly.

The government is bound to do something like that eventually, but surely there is no reason to repeat the same dismal sequence of having the government argue against an inevitable action for four weeks and then do it anyway.

The world generally has turned a deaf ear to the plight of the Middle East’s Christians and there would be strong support for taking in a considerable number.

It is consistent with past practice to target certain communities of refugees so a critical mass can be brought out together and they can support each other as they settle in. Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher makes an important argument that the connections of the Syrian Christian community to Australia and its culture are substantial.

The harrowing scenes from Europe could lead a number of nations into bad policy.

Two Middle East nations have effectively collapsed: Syria and Libya. In Syria, a horrible war continues and millions of people have fled. However, most of the movement into Europe in recent weeks has been secondary movement.

As the Hungarian Prime Minister points out, people generally are leaving countries — notably Turkey, but also Lebanon and Jordan — where they face difficulties but are safe. Many leave from Turkey to Europe, previously making a short but perilous sea journey, more recently going overland.

There are other, much more dangerous, movements from the North African coast across the Mediterranean, especially from Libya. These movements long predate the Libyan collapse.

North African and Arab irregular immigration to Europe has been going on a long time. If hundreds of thousands are settled in Europe, millions are likely to follow.

It is right that there be a generous resettlement, but resettlement cannot be the main way the problems of the Middle East are addressed.

If the Abbott government took 4000 Syrians from persecuted minorities within the current refugee quota, and a one-off extra group of 5000, that would be a credible Australian effort.