“THE MIGRATION “MESS” by Des Kelly

Because I write especially for eLanka, I will concentrate on Lankan/Aussies only. Migration, around the World, is a total “mess”. There is no need to go into details about this “sad subject”. It goes on everywhere. People  “migrate” only because they are unhappy with the various situations in their own Countries. Seems to me, that a new Planet will soon be needed for all these migrants, which would be a good thing for “them” & for us, as well.

     Let me start with Sri Lanka, which, like India, got her independence from Britain in 1948. As far as I am concerned, neither India nor Sri Lanka (Ceylon, as it was known then), should have got this independence for another 10 years, at least. 1958 would have been a much better Independence anniversary, although, even then, much trouble was brewing between India & Pakistan, and, in Ceylon, beautiful Country, though it was, BEGAN a totally unnecessary War between the Sinhalese & the Tamils, a war which tragically took the lives of thousands & almost ended the tourist reputation of the Island for good.

     It was the Burghers (en-masse), a small minority of the population of Ceylon,, who took the first step of “migration” to various parts of the World, and Australia, in particular. The reason for the “parting of the ways”?. My answer has always been that it was an absolutely stupid “Sinhala-only policy” by the incumbent Government of the time, ordering EVERYONE to accept Sinhalese as their “first language”, forget English that the “-suddhas” taught, do their school examinations & if “failing” the Sinhala-section, FAIL the whole bloody exam and stay in the same “class” for another year. This, among other things, started the migration exodus of mainly the “karapotthas” as the Burghers were fondly (?) referred to, & then, what happened to this Burgher Bugger, would make a significant entry into Ripley’s “believe it or not” book. 

     I decided to migrate to Melbourne in 1962, coming into yet another stupid “White Australia Policy” Governments, Governments, what do they do ?, they make really big money, making “arses” of you. (that is an original D.K.quote)

The Australian Government of that time wanted ONLY fair-skinned Europeans to migrate into their great BROWN Land.

Tan-skinned & dark-skinned migrants, “keep out”!!. What a total bloody mess. I had already been in a “cemetary” once, 

but had to “visit” a few more, in order to get my pass-port to Australia. This was to get the details of my great-grandparents, in proof that they were indeed from Ireland & Holland. Came here, and, not very long after, my wife, at the time, Cynthia (R.I.P.), was referred to, by some Aussie kids on the street, as “Choco”, as she had a beautiful “tan” skin.

Just a few years later “white Aussies” were paying large sums of money to get into a box for an induced “tan”!

I have been on this Earth for 80+ years and sincerely feel that it is not the colour of your skin on the outside, it is the colour of the person “inside”. 

     Getting back finally to the “Migration” question. As far as Australia is concerned, my advice to them would be to accept persons of any colour. Vet them thoroughly. If they want to be future Aussies, stick to the law of the Land. If they break the law, kick their backsides right out of Oz. They came HERE. Nobody got them by the scruff of their necks and dragged them into Australia. For all “Migrants”, remember the famous English phrase, when in Rome, do as the Romans do”. If you cannot understand, or speak English, get a translator to do it for you.

We are a huge Country, we are also hugely multicultural now and migrants to Australia should thank their lucky stars, just to be accepted here.

Desmond Kelly

   Star of eLanka

 (Editor-in-Chief).