Films expose refugee plight

Two new films are exposing the plight of refugees stuck in limbo in Indonesia – thousands of people who have fled violence and persecution in the home countries but who are yet to find sanctuary and new lives in a third country.

The films, ‘The Other Side’ and ‘Freedom Street’ both convey visceral, personal accounts of people at the end of their physical and emotional limits; and they examine the government policy and decision-making that has led to a situation in which 14,000 people are sinking into hopelessness.

‘Freedom Street’ is currently under production in Sydney. The feature-length film is the harrowing story of Joniad, Ashfaq and Azizah, three refugees who have been stuck in Makassar, Indonesia for several years as a result of Australia’s border policy. There are currently around 14000 refugees in Indonesia and every day their hopes for resettlement are diminishing. Freedom Street presents the refugees’ stories while deconstructing Australian policy in a series of conversations with various experts.

Director Alfred Pek, himself a migrant from Indonesia, made three trips to Makassar to film and interview some of the participants.

“We hope the film gives insight into Australia’s long history of border control and Australian-Indonesian relations which serve to contextualise the struggle of the three protagonists as they look towards an uncertain future,” Alfred said.

“The documentary highlights the cost of Australia’s policies both on the refugees and the Australian taxpayer while also featuring calls for meaningful and humane solutions to an ever-worsening issue.

“This issue, sadly, is not talked about enough in our national conversations. So I wanted to create a tool that advocates can use to campaign for policy change.

“At the moment, we are slowly raising awareness about the project especially to help with the fundraising efforts and the completion of the project. We are about two thirds completed and are now mostly in post-production stage of the film,” Alfred said.

Alfred and his volunteer have set up fund raising website where supporters can make tax deductable donations: https://documentaryaustralia.com.au/project/freedom-street/

‘The Other Side’ has been produced by Indonesia-based Hazara Afghan filmmaker Ali Froghi.

Ali says his film documents “the other side” of refugees’ life in Indonesia which has not been explored by mainstream media.

It focuses on the plight of refugees in Indonesia, particularly Hazaras from Afghanistan, and calls into question the work of IOM and UNHCR in the country.

The film opens with an account of the suicide of a young Hazara asylum seeker. We are told that 26-year-old Asif ended his life after six years in limbo.

The man’s fellow refugees tell the filmmaker that depression, anxiety disorder, uncertainty about the future and lack of emotional support led to his death and the deaths of seven other asylum seekers who have suicided since 2014.

The film also shows seemingly clandestine footage of a meeting held by UNHCR in 2017. Those attending are given two options – to go home to where they came from or stay in Indonesia for a very long time and possibly not get resettlement to a third country.

The meeting seems to show UNHCR officials urging the asylum seekers to go home.

Also featured is a demonstration by refugees at UNHCR headquarters in Makassar after some were beaten by Indonesian immigration officials.

Ali says art has been a passion since he was young.

“I have always been interested in arts and used to sketch since my childhood. When I came to Indonesia and was living in limbo I wanted to tell the story of refugees stranded in this country with uncertainty,” Ali said.

“I decided to capture that in stills and I have documented many of the situations of refuges in Makassar during these past years,” he said.

Ali says the suicide of a fellow refugee was the catalyst for the creation of ‘The Other Side’.

“On July 2, 2020 when I woke up, I noticed that the news and pictures of a fellow refugee, Mohammad Asif in Makassar was trending on my Facebook and that he had committed suicide,” Ali said.

“I couldn’t believe that and he was a good friend to me. I confirmed the news with other friends over the phone and they sent me photos of him. I am also one of them and I feel their pain and depression very well because I am also going through the same difficulties,” he said. 

“I even have received a request from a fellow refugee who asked me to film him committing suicide. Many others are in the community who have attempted but survived. The situation here is very bad,” Ali said.

He says the aim of the film is to highlight the challenges and difficulties refugees facing living in limbo and uncertainty.

“We don’t have access to any mental health support here. And the uncertainty is adding up to our depression and anxiety. The NGOs don’t really care for the situations of the refugees,” Ali said.

“Instead of helping us, they are pressurising us to go back. This act of them is killing what little hope we have. I hope my film can shed some light on this issue and these organisations will then play a positive role and help those who need mental health assistance.”

Ali is an ethnic Hazara from the Jaghori district of Ghazni province.

“I was born in Afghanistan and grew up in Pakistan. The security situation in Quetta deteriorated and two bomb blasts occurred in two months just 200 metres from my home,” he said.

“Hundreds of people were killed and hundreds more were injured. I lost many of my friends and classmates. It was then when I decided that I should leave Pakistan. I have been living in Indonesia since July 2013. I have got a refugee status from the UNHCR the same year,” Ali said.

See the films here

The Other Side:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF7zhS7rh2s

Freedom Street:
https://www.freedomstreetfilm.com