When the grass is, actually, greener

Last night the movie Hotel Rawanda came on.  About 10 minutes in, Miss 15 said "This is like my country".  I paused the movie and turned to her.

How do you mean?

Soldiers run down the street with guns.  The set fire to your house.  They leave bodies lying across gardens.

Were you scared?

All the time.  Even when things were peaceful, you always know they will be back.

Have they ever tried to harm you?
They have tried.  They didn't hurt me.  But some of my family have been killed.

How close to you did they get?
They were in my house. Just before I came here.  I was looking after my little sister while my parents were at work.  They broke the doors down and came in. I hid under the bed with a big knife (Machete).

Did they find you?
No...they got distracted, they heard a car pull in to the driveway. It was my mum.  So they set fire to my house and left.

Did the house burn down?
No, not this time. My mum put the fire out.

To cut a long conversation short, we talked about genocide.  We talked about the reasons why Miss 15 had to move here.  We talked about how every child between 15-18 has been sent to a safer country.  They haven't come as refugees.  They have pooled all of their resources to make sure the next generation survives.

In school those of the minority culture (the ones being killed off) were crammed into one room, with no teacher after they turn 13.  They can't be educated...they might learn how to defend themselves.

Some countries are helping, their are peace keepers.  But still, there is political unrest between the minority and majority.  Between the native and the immigrants.

Miss 15 has watched her friends be killed.  She has watched her family been killed. She has had the feet of armed soldiers within cm's of her face.

She has experienced what no child growing up here could ever imagine.

I don't know if it is fortunate or unfortunate that Miss 14 and Mr 12 who were listening to parts of the conversation didn't quite grasp the extent of life lived in West Papua.  But I do hope that they realise in amongst the moments where they struggle with life in Foster Care that they can see - actually - there is worse. I am alive.  An entire culture is being killed off.  Miss 14 suggested Miss 15s parents just come over here too.  But Miss 15 explained that they have to stay and fight for their rights.  They need to fight to allow them to live in their own country.


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