By: M. Dinata *)
In last few months, Australia really concern about radicalism prevention especially from The Islamis State (IS). Australia’s Government have done many things to make sure that there are no IS grows up in Australia.
Since 30 October 2014, Australia’s government do not allow their citizens to go travell to certain conflict areas and on 4 December 2014, they announced that Autralians are prohibited to go to Syria, which has become IS base. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, on 23 February 2015, has also proposed tighter immigration controls, right after he saw the official released report from last December’s deadly incident at the Lindt cafe in Sydney, the day before. The gunman, Haron Monis, known as a radical Islamic refugee from Iran who died with the two hostages when police besieged the cafe.
The immigration rules will include restriction for the citizens or those who have dual nationals to leave or return to Australia, if the government suspect or investigate them for their involvement in any terrorism activity. This is because, experts are worried that dozens of Australian who went to Syria and Iraq for IS, will return and become threats for national security. Since 2010, Australian authorities have cancelled 100 passports that belongs to fighters in Iraq and Syria, but they still have a right to come back to Australia if they are citizens.
“It has long been the case that people who fight against Australia forfeit their citizenship,” Mr. Abbott said in a speech at the federal police headquarters in the capital, Canberra. “So Australians who take up arms with terrorist groups, especially while Australian military personnel are engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq, have sided against our country. And should be treated accordingly,” he said.
The new proposals which also target those who incite religious or racial hatred will be signed soon. Mr. Abbott assert that Australia would have to reconsider where the line was between individual freedoms and the safety of the community. “This monster should not have been in our community,” he added.
*) The Author Is Brunei Darussalam Contributors.
