Australians with children stranded in India are urging the federal government to lift its efforts to get unaccompanied minors home, after it was revealed 209 children are affected.
Key points:
- Five children returned to Australia this week
- Senior DFAT officials are unable to say when the 209 unaccompanied children will be back in Australia
- A mother who herself was recently stranded in India has helped 15 children come home by finding adults to travel with them
Eight Qantas repatriation flights have left India since Australia reopened its borders in mid-May, and another three will depart in coming weeks, in an effort to return vulnerable Australians.
But tickets for the repatriation flights are not available to anyone under 18 years old unless they are accompanied by a nominated guardian, who will take 'full responsibility' for the child during flight and quarantine in Australia.
Ballarat man Dinesh Dhanraj's 10-year-old son has been stuck in Chennai with the child's grandmother since April last year, after India was plunged into a nationwide lockdown and international borders closed.
"It's been absolutely disheartening," he said.
Mr Dhanraj was offered a seat for his son on a recent Qantas repatriation flight but was unable to book the ticket because he was unable to secure a travel exemption from Australian authorities for his mother, who's an Indian national, so she could accompany the child.
"We were asked to report to Delhi pretty much the next day, so I had to ask my mother and son to have their bags packed and be ready," he said.
"It was gut wrenching."
Australians struggling to get their children home
Last month, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade revealed there were 173 "unaccompanied minors" stranded in India.
Supplied: DFAT
)Officials revealed at Senate Estimates that figure has now grown to 209, although five children returned from India to Australia on repatriation flights this week.
Shadow Foreign Minister Penny Wong pressed DFAT officials to provide a clear timeline for getting them home.
"Will you give me the best estimate as to when the 209 unaccompanied minors currently in India will be home?" she asked.
Senior officials from DFAT said it was impossible to give a firm commitment, simply saying they would try and get them back to Australia "as soon as possible".
"Senator, we are working closely with every single family to identify the circumstances when they want their children home, and to find a way to do that," DFAT's Lynette Wood said.
Officials said they "prioritised" children for the recent repatriation flights to Australia but admitted that visa and quarantine restrictions imposed serious constraints.
The Department of Foreign Affairs told the ABC, when it's aware of a child who cannot make a flight, it will work with their family to facilitate their return.
The volunteers helping to bring stranded children home
But many Australians separated from their children in India have had to rely on the kindness of strangers to accompany their child on a repatriation flight and during quarantine.
Neha Sandhu, who was formerly stranded in India herself, has helped many stranded Australians find a path home.
She estimated she had helped 15 unaccompanied children get home after linking them with other stranded Australians to ensure a seat.
"As a mother, I can feel the pain of the separation," Ms Sandhu said.
"That is the reason I'm helping people."
But some children are simply too young to fly without their family members, Ms Neha added.
Sydneysiders Sheersh Srivastava and Shilpa Bhatnagar have had to watch their two-and-a-half-year-old son grow up remotely while staying with his grandparents in Jaipur.
Supplied: Sheersh Srivastava
)Mr Srivastava's mother was recently diagnosed with stage three cancer.
He has tried on three occasions to get approval to fly to India, but each request has been denied.
"If this is not compelling and compassionate, what else is?" he asked.
"I'm talking about a two-and-a-half-year-old child, who's an Australian citizen. He's stuck overseas and the only care giver for him is sick."
Supplied: Sheersh Srivastava
)Different lab being used to test passengers
The first Qantas repatriation flight was marred in controversy, after pre-flight screening found 46 passengers to be COVID-19 positive.
Many of them later tested negative after being bumped.
James Oaten was one of the passengers due to board the Qantas flight on May 15 but was barred from boarding after he tested positive to COVID-19. He later tested negative.
The ABC revealed the company used to test the passengers for COVID-19 had its accreditation suspended after a complaint over inaccurate testing was upheld.
Since then, a different testing lab has been used.
The ABC understands only one person has returned a positive COVID-19 test in pre-flight screening.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTA2LTAzL2RmYXQtb2ZmaWNpYWwtYXNrZWQtYWJvdXQtaW5kaWEtcmVwYXRyaWF0aW9uLWZsaWdodHMvMTAwMTg0MjY40gEoaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEwMDE4NDI2OA?oc=5
2021-06-03 02:10:28Z
52781641966106
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "There are 209 Australian children stranded in India. Some parents are relying on strangers to get them home - ABC News"
Post a Comment