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Crèdit de la imatge: Robin de Crespigny. Photo courtesy Mosman Library.

Obres de Robin De Crespigny

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The People Smuggler is rather a harrowing read. Firstly because of the story of Ali Al Jenabi's life and his struggle for freedom and his search to find a safe haven for his family. The atrocities inflicted on him and many of his fellow Iraqi's by the Sadaam Hussein regime are just unbelievable. How can anyone be so cruel to their fellow man? Seeking asylum then creates a whole other set of difficulties for Ali, but also raises the questions of the rights of other communities to protect its own citizens. Government procedure is called into question and is found to be massively flawed. You may or may not end up agreeing with the outcome of Ali's story, but it is thought provoking.
The second reason I found the book a little harrowing, is, at times there was just too much detail about the myriad of people Ali interacted with. I became confused, by all the names of associates that kept popping up. There was always someone who knew someone, who knew someone else who would suddenly be in a café, or on the street worlds away from where they would normally be. Maybe that's the way it is in Iraq.
Having said that, the book was interesting, thought provoking. I sympathise with Ali, am glad I read his story, but am conflicted about him as well.
I'm happy I have finished the book.
… (més)
 
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PriscillaM | Hi ha 5 ressenyes més | Feb 26, 2018 |
This book certainly brought home to me the awful plight of Asylum Seekers. Their situation at home is so desperate that they are prepared to endure unspeakable hardships to give their children a better life.

However, I was not convinced that Ali Al Jenabi was such a great hero, he had my sympathy in the early part of the story, but I became a bit sceptical when he remained in Indonesia and became a "people smuggler". I don't think he did this for altruistic reasons at all but merely because he saw a chance to make money. He had the opportunity to come to Australia and if he had done so he possibly could have brought the rest of his family out as many others have done. instead he took advantage of the plight of his fellow asylum seekers. I think comparing him to Oscar Schindler is way off the mark, and that this has been done to help his case in the courts..

The thing that shocked me the most about the people of Ali's family and friends was the horrible treatment of their womenfolk, especially Instifar, the girl that Ali wanted to marry. To think that her own brothers would treat her in this cruel and unjust manner is appalling. The Australian government cannot interfere in cultural matters and does not see the plight of women like her to be grounds for seeking asylum, and nor do her fellow Iraqis. This to me was the greatest tragedy of the whole story.

I didn't feel terribly sorry for Ali at all. He achieved what he set out to do but unfortunately for him,
he got caught !!!t
… (més)
 
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lesleynicol | Hi ha 5 ressenyes més | Dec 6, 2013 |
this was very interesting about how "Ali Al Jenabi" flees Saddam Hussein's torture chambers in Iraq , and he has to leave behind all his family and eventually gets to Indonesia and goes about setting up a people smuggling network - not to make money as per se, but to raise funds to bring his family over to Australia , but to me the bottom line was , no matter what , the only way to stop these people coming to Australia is to stop the war in these countries which will never happen ..... and these people settle here as though it is their right to do so , then they don't assimilate, they just continue to live in the same way with the same conditions/cultures that they did in their own country and don't care about the consequences .. It was well written and I felt sorry for them , but we have no chance of stopping these people from coming her .… (més)
 
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Suzannie1 | Hi ha 5 ressenyes més | Apr 28, 2013 |
While I'm already converted to the asylum seeker cause, this book didn't really move me. In particular, I found the Oskar Schindler comparison a bit tenous. I felt the main character, Ali to be more of a thug than a hero. In my view, The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif is a much better book about the asylum seeker experience, with a much more likable main charater.
 
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LouHope | Hi ha 5 ressenyes més | Feb 18, 2013 |

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Obres
1
Membres
84
Popularitat
#216,911
Valoració
4.0
Ressenyes
6
ISBN
7

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