One of Australia’s largest Yazidi refugee communities now calls the regional south-east Queensland town of Toowoomba home - just over a year after the first humanitarian visa recipients arrived.
The newly-arrived Yazidi refugees from Syria took part in their hometown's first ‘Languages and Culture’ multicultural festival.
“One year I’ve been here in Australia, I’m very happy with people, all Australia lovely people, lovely weather, lovely everything,” said refugee Kadaan Jamo, spokesman for the Rojavae Group dance troupe.
Spokesman for the Rojavae Group's dance troupe Kadaan Jamo. Source: SBS News
Yazidi musicians and dancers performed and had a traditional food stall.
Australia agreed to take thousands of Yazidi after the UN and Australia declared the slaughter, horrific torture and abuse by IS as genocide.
Thousands of refugees have settled in Toowoomba in the past 16 years, first from countries like South Sudan and Chad in Africa, then from Iraq and Afghanistan and since last year about 500 Yazidi from Syria.
“One thing about all these people who come here is they have an absolute will to contribute to our economy,” said Toowoomba mayor Paul Antonio who oversaw the city being declared a ‘Refugee Welcome Zone’ in 2013.
The mayor of Toowoomba, Paul Antonio. Source: SBS News
“What I’m finding is they come here to do a number of things; one is to work, one is to establish a home, and another is to educate their children.
“But we need to assess if communities the size of Toowoomba have enough capacity to deal with this. We don’t need enclaves, we need people to be integrated within a few years.”
This year, Toowoomba’s ‘Young Australian of the Year’ is Prudence Melom from Chad who arrived from a refugee camp 11 years ago unable to speak English.
“I feel Toowoomba really gives young people a chance to excel in what they’re passionate about,” she said.
“I would really prefer to live in a place like this because coming from a refugee camp, going to a city would just be such a big change for me."
Toowoomba has a population of about 160,000 people and Ms Melom puts her success down to the region’s community feel and support for employment and mental health.
“I think it’s coming. We’ve come a long way since I came in 2007 and I’ve seen a big difference and I think people are becoming more open-minded.”
She is due to graduate from law at the local University of Southern Queensland later this year and wants to focus on human rights.
She is concerned about the current rhetoric on African refugees.
Prudence Melom received the honour of being Toowoomba’s ‘Young Australian of the Year’. Source: SBS News
“I heard the comments that the prime minister made about African gangs, and to hear such comments from him was quite disappointing and damaging and he should tone it down,” she said.
Toowoomba’s large migrant community is celebrated at the annual festival, which this year comes ahead of the first national Regional Resettlement Conference.
“A lot of smaller regional centres are really struggling and they’re really interested in how they build their population,” said conference organiser Kerrin Benson from Multicultural Development Australia.
“Recently refugees started settling in Armidale, Coffs Harbour, Wagga, Shepparton, so there’s regional settlement happening all over Australia.
Kerrin Benson from Multicultural Development Australia. Source: SBS News
“Obviously employment and affordable housing are important, but when we talk to refugees it’s when they start making friends and you feel like you belong and regional centres have always been excellent at that.”
