Refugee footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi becomes Australian citizen after Thai-Bahrain ordeal

[webfact]

Hakeem Al-Araibi 'happy to be safe' after becoming Australian citizen

By Caroline Schelle

 

Hakeem Al-Araibi (right) with Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the citizenship ceremony. CREDIT:AAP IMAGE/DANIEL POCKETT

 

Footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi feels he is finally safe after being welcomed as an Australian citizen at a ceremony in Melbourne.

 

The 25-year-old returned to Australia last month following a publicised stint in a Bangkok jail, after his birth country Bahrain pursued his extradition over allegations he vandalised a police station.

 

After passing his citizenship test with flying colours, the star defender was formally recognised as an Australian during a ceremony at Federation Square on Tuesday.

 

"I'm an Aussie now," he told reporters.

 

Full story: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/hakeem-al-araibi-happy-to-be-safe-after-becoming-australian-citizen-20190312-p513l6.html

 

-- Sydney Morning Herald 2019-03-12

 

[keith101]

Scott Morrison trying to make himself look good leading up the elections but just like Trump it will never work .

[Thechook]

It's election time.  This amateur soccer player has done nothing for Australia so why does he get fast tracked citizenship.  No problem if he gets citizenship but go through the normal chanels like everyone else 

[Youlike]

2 minutes ago, Thechook said:

It's election time.  This amateur soccer player has done nothing for Australia so why does he get fast tracked citizenship.  No problem if he gets citizenship but go through the normal chanels like everyone else 

Does Australia play soccer? How come we never see them on the championships?

[giddyup]

13 minutes ago, Youlike said:

Does Australia play soccer? How come we never see them on the championships?

Why don't we see Brazilians playing test cricket?

[4MyEgo]

I suppose this is the way ALL is swept under the carpet, instead of showing us what happened to the culprits who failed him through a flawed system.

 

Anything to try and gain political points I suppose as others have said above, although I do wish Hakeem the very best after his ordeal in Thailand, now becoming an Australian Citizen, and as long as he did his time like others, I'm ok with it, and hopefully whatever systems were in place to protect refugees under political asylum has been sorted so that this doesn't happen again, oi !

 

Add to all that, work hard and pay your do's because Australia needs blokes like you to support all of those on the welfare system and the pollies ????

 

[webfact]

'I'm an Aussie': refugee footballer Araibi granted Australian citizenship

 

Refugee footballer Hakeem Al Araibi receives his Australian citizenship during a ceremony at Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia, March 12, 2019. AAP Image/David Crosling/via REUTERS

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A refugee footballer who fled Bahrain and was held in a Thai prison for months during a tense extradition stand-off between Australia and the Gulf state was granted Australian citizenship on Tuesday.

 

Hakeem Al Araibi, 25, left Bahrain in 2014 after he was accused of crimes committed during the Arab Spring protests of 2011, which he denied. He was granted refugee status in Australia but after an Interpol notice requesting his arrest was made by Bahrain, he was apprehended by Thai authorities in November when he flew to Bangkok for a honeymoon.

 

"I'm an Aussie now," he told reporters in Melbourne after a citizenship ceremony on the banks of the Yarra River that flows through the city.

 

"I'm very happy to be safe."

 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who lobbied for his release from detention in Thailand, met Araibi after the citizenship ceremony and handed him the Australian flag lapel pin from his jacket.

 

"I had a little badge I was going to give you today, but I'm going to give you mine," Morrison said.

 

"I think this is a tremendous day that we welcome you, absolutely, into the Australian family."

 

Hundreds of supporters cheered "Welcome home, Hakeem!" when he arrived at Melbourne's airport following his release from jail in Bangkok a month ago.

 

He was among more than 200 people from 44 countries who, having passed a citizenship exam, pledged loyalty to Australia and were granted citizenship at the ceremony, the Australian Associated Press reported.

 

Pascoe Vale, the semi-professional team he plays for in Melbourne, congratulated Araibi.

 

"A moment we all have been waiting for," the club said on Twitter.

 

"Finally, no country can follow me now because I am Australian," Araibi told the Guardian newspaper.

 

"Bahrain, please don't follow me. I am now 100 percent safe in this country."

 

(Reporting by Tom Westbrook; Editing by Nick Macfie)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-12

[heybuz]

2 hours ago, Youlike said:

Does Australia play soccer? How come we never see them on the championships?

Last time Australia played England Australia won 3 /2

[varun]

Damage control mode, nothing else.

[Cadbury]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi feels he is finally safe after being welcomed as an Australian citizen at a ceremony in Melbourne.

A stark contrast of a dehumanised military controlled nation and a country which can show compassion to genuine non-economic refugees.

[Lucius verus]

Nice photo of Prince's Bridge with Yarra river looking better than its been in a while.

Normally its mocha brown colour.lol

That's about the only thing that's interesting about this story.

 

The rest is politics.

Why should we thank him for living in Australia?

He should be on his knees thanking  us.!

You would never see Asians behaving like western gov's.

How about Thailand?

We make them rich so they jail and blacklist farangs for petty reasons.

Edited March 12, 2019 by Lucius verus

[RJRS1301]

2 hours ago, Thechook said:

It's election time.  This amateur soccer player has done nothing for Australia so why does he get fast tracked citizenship.  No problem if he gets citizenship but go through the normal chanels like everyone else 

What makes you think he was fast tracked??

He had refugees status, permanent residency, and next step is citizenship

[paul545]

25 minutes ago, heybuz said:

Last time Australia played England Australia won 3 /2

It was 3-1 in 2013 and they lost the last game.  England 4 wins 2 draws and 1 loss. All friendlies. 

[RJRS1301]

9 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

A stark contrast of a dehumanised military controlled nation and a country which can show compassion to genuine non-economic refugees.

Our compassion is not visible to those held indefinitely on Nauru and Manus Islands.

Many of whom are refugees, but tried to arrived by boat.

[RJRS1301]

Oh ScoMo gave his "personal pin" to him.

Why was the PM doing the ceremony instead of the Lord Mayor of Melbourne??

Pin made bulk in China anyway.

Oh the photo opportunity.

[Cadbury]

13 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Our compassion is not visible to those held indefinitely on Nauru and Manus Islands.

Many of whom are refugees, but tried to arrived by boat.

You should try reading more carefully. I specifically referred to non-economic refugees.

The refugees you refer to were economic refugees from Indonesia seeking a more comfortable life style and the benefits of a living in a welfare generous country; just like the many other uninvited guests who invaded the shores of Australia to try to put their hands into the pockets of Australian taxpayers.  

[hansnl]

42 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

What makes you think he was fast tracked??

He had refugees status, permanent residency, and next step is citizenship

Well, as in most muslim countries you cannot renounce your nationalities even if having another new nationalities, the Interpol thing still stands.

Someone please advise him to be very careful where he will go to. 

[Youlike]

3 hours ago, giddyup said:

3 hours ago, Youlike said:

Does Australia play soccer? How come we never see them on the championships?

Why don't we see Brazilians playing test cricket?

What is test cricket? Never heard of that.

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, Youlike said:

What is test cricket? Never heard of that.

Google it.

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, Cadbury said:

You should try reading more carefully. I specifically referred to non-economic refugees.

The refugees you refer to were economic refugees from Indonesia seeking a more comfortable life style and the benefits of a living in a welfare generous country; just like the many other uninvited guests who invaded the shores of Australia to try to put their hands into the pockets of Australian taxpayers.  

Quite.  You should have said accused criminal refugee.

[emptypockets]

I wonder how much intensive coaching he had to pass the citizenship test.  Most born and bred Aussie's would have trouble passing at first attempt. 

Mrs EP attained PR a year or so ago with next step being citizenship. We had a look at the test...... Not a simple thing.

Since we split our time between Oz and Thai it will be good for her to get citizenship as PR only lasts 5 years and after that reentry permits etc are needed. Not really PR as it used to be. 

[Thechook]

4 hours ago, Youlike said:

Does Australia play soccer? How come we never see them on the championships?

Not really, I think there are a few comps but not really sure.  Soccer isn't a big sport in Australia and doesn't even get media coverage.  Football, cricket and rugby are the main sports.

[emptypockets]

56 minutes ago, Youlike said:

What is test cricket? Never heard of that.

It's a game that when you are in you go out and when you are out you go in. 

Simple really. 

[emptypockets]

1 minute ago, Thechook said:

Not really, I think there are a few comps but not really sure.  Soccer isn't a big sport in Australia and doesn't even get media coverage.  Football, cricket and rugby are the main sports.

Along with pig hunting and roo shooting.  At least where I come from. 

[Grusa]

Nice certificate of citizenship. Do all Aussie born get one, or is it only for refugees? Typical self-serving by the politicians.

[Ulic]

6 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Oh ScoMo gave his "personal pin" to him.

Why was the PM doing the ceremony instead of the Lord Mayor of Melbourne??

Pin made bulk in China anyway.

Oh the photo opportunity.

The same reason Rahaf Mohammed was greeted personally by the minister of foreign affairs Chrystia Freeland when she touched down in Canada. Political spin and optimization for gaining the vote of immigrants in the country.

[Ulic]

5 hours ago, emptypockets said:

I wonder how much intensive coaching he had to pass the citizenship test.  Most born and bred Aussie's would have trouble passing at first attempt. 

Mrs EP attained PR a year or so ago with next step being citizenship. We had a look at the test...... Not a simple thing.

Since we split our time between Oz and Thai it will be good for her to get citizenship as PR only lasts 5 years and after that reentry permits etc are needed. Not really PR as it used to be. 

So Australian PR is actually nothing more than a 5-year visa. I shake my head, learn something every day.

[RJRS1301]

13 hours ago, Cadbury said:

You should try reading more carefully. I specifically referred to non-economic refugees.

The refugees you refer to were economic refugees from Indonesia seeking a more comfortable life style and the benefits of a living in a welfare generous country; just like the many other uninvited guests who invaded the shores of Australia to try to put their hands into the pockets of Australian taxpayers.  

Many of the people held on both Manus and Nauru have been declared refugees by the United Nations they are attempted boat arrivals. Read the UN reports .some are deemed security risks, but the policy of boat arrivals is in humane. I did read the comment of economic refugees, this is not what the UN reports conclude.

[RJRS1301]

8 hours ago, Grusa said:

Nice certificate of citizenship. Do all Aussie born get one, or is it only for refugees? Typical self-serving by the politicians.

Only for those who have a Citizenship ceremony. Whether they are refugees or other immigrants

[wendyfromoz]

I'm a little concerned about how honest this guy really is.  He said he went to Thailand on his honeymoon but no wife with him in Thailand.  On return to Australia, no wife to meet him and at his citizenship ceromony still no wife with him.  I'm a married woman and I would've been by my husbands side right throughout this supporting him.  There are no names or photos of the mysterious and imaginary woman.

 

I also agree with a lot of other comments on here, this citizenship is purely a political farse.  An election in about 7 weeks and Scott Morrison is looking at his party being wiped out and is desparate. This is about Morrison and gaining the muslim vote to save his own skin.