Guide to the Guide to Flight to Freedom
PIC/20971
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: September 2021
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Batoor, Barat Ali
- Title
- Flight to Freedom
- Date Range
- 2012-2013
- Collection Number
- PIC/20971
- Extent
- 89 items
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Special Collections (Pictures)
Introduction
Scope and Contents
A collection of photographs of Barat Ali Batoor's journey and other Hazara asylum seekers as they fled oppression in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2012. Includes the smugglers' route through Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia and on the final sea leg to Austrlaia. The journey to Thailand was undertaken legally, but the illegal journey with people smugglers started on entering Malaysia. The boat from Indonesia did not make it to Australia, running aground on rocks off the coast of Java, with 90 people on board.--Information from acquisitions documentation.
Conditions Governing Access
Access conditions may apply to this collection, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn8567122).
Conditions Governing Use
Copying and publishing of this material is subject to copyright restrictions.Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn8567122).
Preferred Citation
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title of item], Flight for Freedom, National Library of Australia, PIC/20971/[item number(s)]'.
Finding Aid Source(s)
Please note: This finding aid comprises captions supplied by the photographer.
Item Descriptions
Hotel in Sungai Kolok, 11/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/1)
1 item3:00pm. The first part of the treacherous journey for the Hazara refugees starts in Thailand. From there it is boats, jungle and uncertainty. An unaccompanied minor from Afghanistan, stares out of a hotel window in the southern Thai border town of Sungai Kolok during the first part of his land and sea journey as an asylum seeker on his way to Christmas Island, Australia.
Hotel room in Sungai Kolok, 13/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/2)
1 item8:38am. Pakistani asylum seekers receive Thai SIM cards from the Thai smuggler (centre) in the southern Thai border town of Sungai Kolok during the first part of their land and sea journey as asylum seekers on their way to Christmas Island, Australia.
Internet cafe in Sungai Kolok, 11/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/3)
1 item6:50pm. Aan unaccompanied minor from Afghanistan, uses a computer at an Internet cafe in the southern Thai border town of Sungai Kolok during the first part of his land and sea journey as an asylum seeker on his way to Christmas Island, Australia.
Sungai Kolok, 11/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/4)
1 item4:15pm. The first part of the treacherous journey for the Hazara refugees starts in Thailand. From there it is boats, jungle and uncertainty. An unaccompanied minor from Afghanistan, on a bike with an assistant of the Thai smuggler to go out for dinner in the southern Thai border town of Sungai Kolok during the first part of his land and sea journey as an asylum seeker on his way to Christmas Island, Australia.
Sungai Kolok, 11/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/5)
1 item4:31pm. An unaccompanied minor from Afghanistan with an assistant of the Thai smuggler, reflected in the rear view mirror of a bike. Image taken in the southern Thai border town of Sungai Kolok, during the first part of a his land and sea journey as an asylum seeker on his way to Christmas Island, Australia.
Safe House in Kuala Lumpur, 13/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/13)
1 item9:33am. Exhausted by the trip from Thailand to Kuala Lumpur, involving crossing the border on a speed boat and then 4.5 hours of a road trip, an unaccompanied minor from Afghanistan and Pakastani asylum seekers rest in a house where they were locked in by another smuggler, who would later arrange their trip to Indonesia.
Breakfast at Safe House, 15/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/16)
1 item9:56am. More people arrived at the house in Kuala Lumpur. Most of the asylum seekers spent their first night at this house and having breakfast. The smuggler provided rations for everyone. The Asylum seekers We were locked up in this house and strictly instructed that no one should try to go outside and no one should remove the curtains and look outside of the windows.
Notes of hope and despair, 15/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/17)
1 item2:17pm. The house seemed to have been used by the smuggler for a long time to house asylum seekers while their trips were being arranged to Indonesia. Asylum seekers who stayed here previously left notes for following asylum seekers in a notebook wishing for a safe journey to Australia or expressing their desperation about the journey.
The boat of hope, 15/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/18)
1 item2:18pm. Someone who stayed in the house before, sketched a picture of a boat in the water. The house seemed to have been used by the smuggler for a long time to house asylum seekers while their trips were being arranged to Indonesia. Asylum seekers who stayed here previously left notes for following asylum seekers in a notebook, wishing a safe journey to Australia or expressing their desperation about the journey.
Safe House in Kuala Lumpur, 15/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/19)
1 item3:03pm. Hazara asylum seekers taking a nap at a house where they were locked up for three nights before their trip to Indonesia. The photographer received news later that the boat these Hazara asylum seekers travelled in to Christmas Island sank. Only the man in the middle of the image survived - the two other men drowned.
Charity for safety, 15/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/23)
1 item12:34pm. The house appeared to have been used by the smuggler for a long time to house asylum seekers, while their trips to Indonesia were being arranged. Asylum seekers who stayed here previously, left money and coins for charity and to send away bad omens away and to wish have safe trips ahead.
Money collection, 15/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/27)
1 item11:34pm. After a four-hour boat journey from Kuala Lumpur to Sumatra Island, Indonesia, the sixten asylum seekers are taken to a wooden house in the country for a few hours' rest. Here they also pay the next people-smuggler (centre, squatting) $2,500 each for the next leg of the journey to get them to Jakarta.
Wooden house, 16/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/28)
1 item12:15am. An asylum seeker rests after a four hour boat journey from Kuala Lumpur to Sumatra Island, Indonesia. The 16 asylum seekers are taken to a wooden house in the country for a few hours rest. Here they also pay the next people smuggler $2,500 each for the next leg of the journey to get them to Jakarta.
Waterproofing, 20/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/36)
1 item10:12am. An asylum seeker waterproofing and hiding his money, while another asylum seeker looks on before they get on their boat. The boat carried one hundred and fifty asylum seekers and later sank, when these two men went missing along with eighty eight others, all presmumed drowned.
Swimming at Sabanoos villa, 21/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/38)
1 item2:59pm. An asylum seeker at the swimming pool of the villa in Cisarua, Bogor, Indonesia, where he rented a room with 8 other asylum seekers before they got on their boat. The boat carried one hundred and fifty asylum seekers and sank when nintey drowned.
Hadi, 20/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/41)
1 item4:42pm. Three asylum seekers at their rented residence in Cisarua, Bogor, Indonesia before they get on their boat. The boat had one hundred and fifty asylum seekers on board and later sank when ninety drowned. The asylum seeker in the centre of the image, went missing when the boat sank and his family still hope for his return.
Shelter house, 19/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/50)
1 item4:32pm. A shelter house for under-aged asylum seekers in Puncak, outside of Jakarta, Indonesia. The Puncak area is a strip of hillside holiday towns that has become a safe haven and staging post for asylum seekers. Those awaiting boats to Australia spend their time here until their chance to travel. Others, who have survived sinking boats and have avoided or escaped detention, usually find their way back here to start again.
Shelter house, 19/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/51)
1 item4:40pm. A shelter house for under-aged asylum seekers in Puncak, outside of Jakarta, Indonesia. The Puncak area is a strip of hillside holiday towns that has become a safe haven and staging post for asylum seekers. Those awaiting boats to Australia spend their time here until their chance to travel. Others, who have survived sinking boats and have avoided or escaped detention, usually find their way back here to start again.
Shelter house, 19/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/52)
1 item4:44pm. A shelter house for under-aged asylum seekers in Puncak, outside of Jakarta, Indonesia. The Puncak area is a strip of hillside holiday towns that has become a safe haven and staging post for asylum seekers. Those awaiting boats to Australia spend their time here until their chance to travel. Others, who have survived sinking boats and have avoided or escaped detention, usually find their way back here to start again.
Shelter house, 19/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/53)
1 item4:55pm.A shelter house for under-aged asylum seekers in Puncak, outside of Jakarta, Indonesia. The Puncak area is a strip of hillside holiday towns that has become a safe haven and staging post for asylum seekers. Those awaiting boats to Australia spend their time here until their chance to travel. Others, who have survived sinking boats and have avoided or escaped detention, usually find their way back here to start again.
Shelter house, 19/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/54)
1 item4:59pm. A shelter house for under-aged asylum seekers in Puncak, outside of Jakarta, Indonesia. The Puncak area is a strip of hillside holiday towns that has become a safe haven and staging post for asylum seekers. Those awaiting boats to Australia spend their time here until their chance to travel. Others, who have survived sinking boats and have avoided or escaped detention, usually find their way back here to start again.
Shelter house, 19/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/55)
1 item5:14pm. A shelter house for under-aged asylum seekers in Puncak, outside of Jakarta, Indonesia. The Puncak area is a strip of hillside holiday towns that has become a safe haven and staging post for asylum seekers. Those awaiting boats to Australia spend their time here until their chance to travel. Others, who have survived sinking boats and have avoided or escaped detention, usually find their way back here to start again.
Shelter house, 26/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/56)
1 item3:51pm. A shelter house for under-aged asylum seekers in Puncak, outside of Jakarta, Indonesia. The Puncak area is a strip of hillside holiday towns that has become a safe haven and staging post for asylum seekers. Those awaiting boats to Australia spend their time here until their chance to travel. Others, who have survived sinking boats and have avoided or escaped detention, usually find their way back here to start again.
Shelter house, 26/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/57)
1 item4:15pm. A shelter house for under-aged asylum seekers in Puncak, outside of Jakarta, Indonesia. The Puncak area is a strip of hillside holiday towns that has become a safe haven and staging post for asylum seekers. Those awaiting boats to Australia spend their time here until their chance to travel. Others, who have survived sinking boats and have avoided or escaped detention, usually find their way back here to start again.
Shelter house, 26/08/2012 (Item PIC/20971/58)
1 item4:18pm. A shelter house for under-aged asylum seekers in Puncak, outside of Jakarta, Indonesia. The Puncak area is a strip of hillside holiday towns that has become a safe haven and staging post for asylum seekers. Those awaiting boats to Australia spend their time here until their chance to travel. Others, who have survived sinking boats and have avoided or escaped detention, usually find their way back here to start again.
Towards the main vessel, 21/09/2012 (Item PIC/20971/63)
1 item12:14am. After receiving a call at midnight, the asylum seekers have their phones taken off them and are transported to an umknown location. On arrival, they are put on small boats that take them out to a larger boat anchored at sea, which hopefully gets them to Christmas Island, Australia, where they will spend years in a detention centre having their refugee status assessed. If they are successful, they will be released into the community where they have a further wait of two or more years before they can apply to bring their families to Australia.
Towards the main vessel, 21/09/2012 (Item PIC/20971/64)
1 item12:14am. After receiving a call at midnight, the asylum seekers have their phones taken off them and are transported to an umknown location. On arrival, they are put on small boats that take them out to a larger boat anchored at sea, which hopefully gets them to Christmas Island, Australia, where they will spend years in a detention centre having their refugee status assessed. If they are successful, they will be released into the community where they have a further wait of two or more years before they can apply to bring their families to Australia.
Island of hope, 22/09/2012 (Item PIC/20971/82)
1 item6:55am. After a terrifying few days at sea in a sinking boat, the captain decided to turn back towards Indonesia. After travelling for around seven and a half hours an island was sighted - a huge relief as everyone had a sign of hope for their survival.
Island of hope, 22/09/2012 (Item PIC/20971/85)
1 item7:35am. After a terrifying few days at sea in a sinking boat, the captain decided to turn back towards Indonesia. After travelling for around seven and a half hours an island was sighted - a huge relief as everyone had a sign of hope for their survival.
Scrambling off the boat, 22/09/2012 (Item PIC/20971/86)
1 item7:40am. Finally approaching land, the asylum seekers scrambled off the boat and over submerged rocks into the thick forests of Ujung Kulon, a remote peninsula at the extreme western end of Java, Indonesia. Discarding dozens of lifejackets on the beach, they moved into the jungle, splitting up into groups as they quarrelled over what to do next. After 2 days without food or water, they were arrested by the water police and taken to an immigration detention centre in Serang, Indonesia.