Another Of Suya's
pp. 18-157 · Read in the full issue
Australia Bars
Miss Prasads
By a Staff Writer
Any Fiji-Indian with the name of Prasad is likely to be suspect in the Australian Department of Immigra tion. Perhaps that is why Miss Prita Prasad, 22, of Suva, who has been studying in Australia for four years, has been refused permission to go to Papua-New Guinea as a handi crafts teacher.
THE Department is still smarting over the trouble they had with Nancy Prasad who was sent home to her parents in Suva last August after two years of publicity. Nancy was usually presented in Australian newspapers as a poor, innocent six year-old who was hounded out of the country by the wicked Minister for Immigration.
The fact was that Nancy was the innocent tool used by her family in their long battle with the Immigra tion Department, during which they acquiesced to her being kidnapped.
She is the daughter of Mr. Shri Prasad of Suva, who, in 1962, took his wife and five children to Australia on a tourist permit. Several of his adult children were already there but had permanent residential qualifications because they had married in the country.
Houses Bought
Against the advice of the Depart ment of Immigration, the whole Prasad family prepared to remain in Australia where Mr. Prasad bought two houses. He, his wife and four of the younger children were persuaded to go home to Fiji in November, 1963, but Nancy was ill at the time and was allowed to stay. She was taken into the home of her brother in-law, Mr. R. Powditch, and battle commenced with the Immigration Department.
Latest news is that Mr. Powditch and his wife, formerly Miss Shashi Prasad, are to take Nancy to England, adopt her, then apply for Nancy’s readmission to Australia.
Meanwhile, the Nancy Prasad case has done great harm to the prospects of intending migrants or non-Euro pean visitors from Fiji, and some of this is probably rubbing off on Miss Prita Prasad who wants to teach handicrafts in Papua-New Guinea.
The reason for turning her down is
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said to be that she does not qualify to be an Australian citizen.
It could be that Australia is in for another Prasad cause celebre be cause a Mr, J. N. Peek, described as a businessman of a Sydney suburb, has protested to the United Nations about Miss Prita’s troubles. He is probably under the impression that because the New Guinea half of the Territory is a United Nations Trusteeship Territory, the UN has some say in New Guinea migration policy.
But New Guinea is still admi nistered by Australia; to take up permanent residence there it is necessary to have the same immigra tion status as required for the Aus tralian mainland. In addition, it is necessary to have a “Permit to Enter”.
This is required also of Australian citizens, and giving it or withholding it is in the power of the Minister for Territories. There is no appeal against his decision and he is not required to give any reasons for a refusal.
If it is any comfort to Miss Prasad, iuite eminent personages, pure Euro pean too, have occasionally been •efused permission to work or under take research in the Territory.
Immigration Laws
But it is not true that only Austra ian citizens can work in the Ter
ritory. Australian citizenship is
iccessary for permanent appointment o the Public Service, but since the var thousands of other aliens have vorked in other jobs in the Territory.
It probably seems ridiculous to nost outsiders that New Guinea, a iredominantly native country, should lave the same restrictive racial im nigration laws as Australia. But, in act, Australia itself would probably lave a far better chance of coping rith unrestricted migration from learby Asia than New Guinea.
In the meantime, despite the oc casional would-be migrant who gets nangled in the process, entry for lon-Europeans to Australia is con tantly being liberalised. Each case 5 considered on its merits—occasion lly with more sympathy than the ►erson concerned deserves.
The officials who administer the aws would, however, be less than luman if they were not influenced •y the years of trouble they have had dth the Shri Prasad family of Suva. • Manam Island volcano, 15 ailes off the coast of New Guinea, fas erupting in late January.