Sorry tale of deportation that smacks of pure racism 
The Universe
(June 05, 2005)
"She is the beautiful lady that speaks good English"
That is how Angelie, a 13-year-old from Preda's center for children in Olongapo described her friend Vivian Alverez, 46, a mother of two who was improperly deported from Australia four years ago.
A year later, she was transferred to a nuns' Hospice in Olongapo City where the Preda staff and children visited her every week. "She is the sad lady that cried when I asked if she has children", said 12-year-old Vangi, "She is the nice lady that reads the Bible", added 11-year-old Beth.
Sally Roacoma, a housemother at the Preda, described Vivian as very lonely: "She could hardy understand Filipino and had no one to talk to for almost four years. I cheered her up by telling her that one-day, she will see her husband. Then she smiled.
"She just lay in bed. The children held her hands which were weak and damaged in the accident that she suffered in Australia which caused her memory lost and led to her inability to tell the iron-fisted immigration authorities who she was."
When Sally and the children visited Vivian, she always talked about the accident and the pains she feels. She couldn't remember the accident itself, but reports said the injuries looked like she may have beaten up by a mugger.
She became upset when recounting how she was deported before she had properly healed and recovered from the accident.
She was angry that they had deported her. She told the children and Sally in Filipino: "I have a hostile feeling towards them. I have no respect for them."
When I arrived at the hospice last Thursday, I found the media camped outside waiting to interview Vivian. She was finally going home.
I went in and sat beside her asking her how she felt, "I'm ok now," she answered with a gentle smile. Her sister Cecile sat nearby - they had just met after 15 years. They met as strangers, no hugs or recognition - "faces change after 15 years."
Vivian was calm after Manila based Australian Consul General Frank Evatt reassured her everything would be done to help her be reunited with her family and medical costs would be shouldered by the Australian Government.
"They got the message" she said.
The wrongful deportation of a Filipina who is an Australian citizen is a serious embarrassment to the Australian government, which has introduced a zero tolerance policy with regards to imigration.
Tens of thousands of Filipinos in Australia have condemned the treatment of Vivian as racist and discriminatory. They have challenged this disgraceful policy which has led to people being put in jail who have valid visas.
Vivian's sister said what many people are thinking, "If she was white, they would never have deported her immediately, there was some kind of racial discrimination".
There is a widespread concern that there may be many similar secret deportations going on with out the general knowledge of the public or even the families and friends of the deportees.
When I asked the children at the Preda Centre what they felt now that Vivian is going home, Beth said it all, "She is going to be with her children, I am so happy for them. If only we had parents who care for us we could be happy too." [End]
