Text 19068, 53 rader
Skriven 2008-07-28 12:36:41 av Ward Dossche (2:292/854)
  Kommentar till text 19061 av David Drummond (3:640/305)
Ärende: Re: Make work
=====================
DD> I don't think Australia or New Zealand have ever been accused of putting
DD> Jews to death - have you heard otherwise?
 
It all depends how one attempts to explain one's country out of the issue.
 
Australia and New Zealand both participated in the 1938 Conference of Evian
where the problems with world migration of Jews were tabled.
 
The only country of 32 participants that actually made significant offers to
take in large groups of Jewish refugees (from Germany and Austria) was the
Dominican Republic. All others failed miserably of loosening up their quota
system or abandoning it altogether. That includes the USA, Great Britain,
Australia, New Zealand, my own country, the Netherlands and above all Canada
whose prime minister said "None are too many" when discussing a possible number
of refugees that could enter Canada.
 
So, indeed, Australia and New Zealand did not directly kill any Jews. However,
by not opening its borders (together with 29 other countries) millions died a
few years later as they were entrapped in Europe when Hitler annexed
Sudetenland and Austria and on May 10th 1940 invaded Western Europe.
 
FYI, the participants at that conference were:
 
Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa
Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Haiti,
Honduras, Republic of Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua,
Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United
States, Uruguay and Venezuela.
 
With the exception of the Dominican Republic they all have blood on their
hands.
 
Starting with 1939 Great Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands took in
large numbers of Germand and Austrian Jewish refugees based on their ranking in
the US quota system as a transit country.
 
The ones taken-in by Great Britain were safe, the ones accepted by France,
Belgium and the Netherlands were faced with the harsh reality on May 10th 1940
that suddenly they were again under Nazi rule.
 
This would never have happened had the 4 countries who held the refugees most
attention as a country of destination cooperated. These are the USA, Canada,
Australia and New Zealand.
 
It's a part of 20th century history that is gladly ommitted from the history
books in those 31 countries (not Dominican Republic).
 
It provides though, for a number of side discussions.
 
 \%/@rd

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 * Origin: Many Glacier -o=O=o- Preserve - Protect - Conserve (2:292/854)