Four Behind Bars Biloela Blues - For Tharnicaa Murugappan

Turnin’ four behind bars Biloela blues

 

(For Tharnicaa Murugappan)

 

Stop the Boats!

Yon windbag pontificates!

Its oos or thems!

Our borders 

One family 

Mak ‘em an example

Fortress White Australia

Aye! Is tha a gun boat

Settin’ oot from Sydney Harbour

 

Toornin four

A bairn

In hospital

Under guard

Her ma weeps

 

Her da an sister

Left ter fret

On Christmas Island

 

Cost an arm, a leg, then soom

Ter keep a family in prison

Och, yer call it detention

Boot, thems bars

An they can nae leave!

 

Ter keep oos safe

In our beds at night

From

This family of four!

 

Yer live on stolen land

Boot think yer own the country

 

A man of gawd

 

Boot yer can nae

Tell the difference

Between

Invader and escapee

 

Boot yer mates

Embezzle, extort an’ rort

Nowt ter see here, boot politics

Business an pork barrelling

Fer the rich ter grow richer

Yer canna tell a bairn

From a criminal!

Aye a high moral standard

Yer hold at yor choorch

On a Sunday!

 

Is there owt

Beating in yer 

Suited chest?

Is yer blood

As thin as greed

 

Yer not a man

Tha canna see

A child

Should nae suffer

For a cause

As empty as yours

 

Let them be!

Return them

Ter Biloela

Where folk,

Your quiet Australians,

Want them home

Where there is a home

 

Ter welcome

Them home

 

Fer yew bairn

A thousand cockatoos

Pink in the evening light

Dance in one big, beating, loving heart

Joost fer yew pet, joost fer yew

Thas not a cockatoo

Thems cockatoos

Thems Bairns

Thas the message

Biloela or bust!

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/photograph-of-biloela-sisters-shows-power-of-an-image-over-words-20210613-p580o2.html

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-14/biloela-not-stopping-until-tamil-family-returns-vigil-held/100212566

15 June 2021: Although Australian Federal Government appear to be releasing this family from detention - it is to remain in Perth, while visa issues are sorted out. The press release still seems to attach a stigma to the family and does not release them back home to their community in Biloela, Queensland. But good on the Western Australian state government if they had a part to play in resolving this cruel and unnecessary farce. Scomo - How good is our human rights?

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