Pacific Solution

NZ / 2005 / James Frankham / 50 mins

On the day the World Trade Center crumbled, the lives of 438 Afghan refugees were hanging in the balance off the coast of Australia, fleeing the persecution of the Taliban regime. The refugees who were rescued by the Norwegian container ship, the MV Tampa, became the centre of a media maelstrom as their world changed forever. The film has attracted controversy as the subjects are deeply critical of the actions of the Howard government. The Australian response, to deny entry to the boat carrying the Afghan refugees, resulted in an international outcry.The Tampa refugees, many of whom were young children, were detained on the island of Nauru - tagged by many as the "Guantanamo Bay" of the Pacific in gross contravention of basic human rights. Pacific Solution tells the story of their experiences, the new home they found in New Zealand and follows the remarkable quest of their families to join them. Through the prism of their journey, this intimate documentary examines the political context and the looming worldwide refugee crisis.