PERTH’S Liberian community has urged the Abbott government to overcome its fears and send medical teams to fight the ebola epidemic in Africa.
Speaking to the Herald for the first time, the community leaders say they can no longer stay quiet because predictions about the spread of the disease are so frightening they fear the economic collapse of the entire continent.
They say Australia’s pledge of just over $10 million to help fight the disease is nowhere near enough.
“The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) in America have said 1.4 million people could be affected by January next year—we can’t afford to let that happen,” community president Nathaniel Nyanfore told the Herald.
He warns that if the epidemic reaches those proportions, it will be hard to contain in Africa. Already there have been isolated cases in the United States and Europe.
“I can’t lie to rest, because when the phone rings you’re always wondering what’s the news,” says Mr Nyanfore, who’s already lost a relative to the disease.
It’s a common story for the group, and as they sit in the reception area of C3 church in Fremantle they sadly tally up the friends who’ve died, or the families of friends.
They’ve a strong connection to C3, whose members have been providing aid and volunteering in the country for years.
Church founder Andrea Surman travels to Liberia nearly every year and reports one family at the church had lost three members back in Africa.
She’s angry at the federal government’s haphazard approach to the outbreak, saying travel warnings for Africa on the foreign affairs department’s website haven’t been updated in more than a year.
• Susan Kpatar, Dennis Gaye Jr, Nathaniel Nyanfore and Josephine Doe say Australia needs to do more to help fight ebola. Photo
by Steve Grant
She’s particularly upset WA hasn’t shown more interest, given its mining ties to Africa. That connection also means fifo workers flying between Perth and Africa, which should be food for thought, she says.
Speaking out is a brave move for the community, as they’re starting to experience discrimination because of Australians’ terror of ebola. People have shied away from shaking hands and even friends are kind-of joking when asking if they’ve got the disease.
Ms Surman says it’s ironic the local Australian/Liberian community is experiencing this discrimination despite the fact it is a world away from the outbreak.
On the other hand, her husband Nigel was in the area earlier this year and sailed back through customs without a blink from anyone.
Mr Nyanfore says a rally is planned for the parliament forecourt, and a barbecue, to raise awareness of both the disease and Australia’s response.
He’s hoping that if Australians become more educated about the disease, they’ll put more pressure on the government to intervene, as well as be more understanding of what his community’s going through.
It emerged on Thursday during a senate hearing that Australia has been repeatedly asked by the international community to send medical teams to West Africa.
“It’s not been clear whether their request is for civilian or military—it sort of covered both,” foreign affairs official Blair Exell told the hearing.
Prime minister Tony Abbott says the requests are being considered, but he’s previously expressed concerns that teams could get trapped in affected regions if the situation deteriorates. The opposition is stepping up pressure on the government to do more.
China has sent 170 medical workers to the region.
For more information about the rally or barbecue, or to support the Liberian community, call 0421 985 443 or contact C3 Church at http://www.cccfremantle.com.au.
by STEVE GRANT