TAMIL REFUGEE SEEKS SENATE SEAT IN AUSTRALIA

By Neville DCruz

MELBOURNE, July 12 (Bernama) -- At age eight, she fled the Sri Lankan civil
war to Malaysia with her family before settling in Sydney as a refugee, 22 years
ago.

At the federal election expected to be called in the next few days, Brami
Jegan will seek a Senate seat.

The 30-year-old former investment banker with Macquarie Bank and JP Morgan
in Sydney for about eight years, will stand as a Greens candidate, as she wants
to "contribute to our society".

She told The Australian newspaper she became determined to chart a more
public-minded course after returning to Sri Lanka for two weeks in 2002, with
her father.

"Seeing children blind through malnutrition, and adults without arms and
legs because of landmines, it was really confronting," Brami is quoted as
saying.

"And that's when I decided to do something more with my life. That was the
beginning of a road to a career in politics."

Having worked as a journalist with an Australian television station, and
currently as a communications officer with Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA, Brami is
also expecting the scrutiny that comes with seeking public office.

Last year in Britain, her uncle, Arunachalam Chrishanthakumar -- known as AC
Shanthan -- was jailed for two years for allegedly aiding the Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), outlawed in Britain as a terrorist organisation.

The founder of the British Tamil Association, Shanthan was found to have
acquired electrical componentry and military manuals for the LTTE.

Three other charges were dismissed.

"Yes, it happened, but I don't believe I have anything to apologise for,"
Brami said, pointing to a transcript of the judge's comments in which her uncle
was called "a thoroughly decent man" who hadn't sought to "assist (the
LTTE) in war".

"The fact is, my uncle was trying to help Tamils in Sri Lanka. He wasn't a
terrorist," she told the newspaper.

Brami nominates refugee policy as her main political focus in Australia.

She is a regular visitor to the 39 Tamil asylum-seekers held at Villawood
Detention Centre in Sydney's west.

And, while she agrees Sri Lanka is more secure now, she cites the latest
UNHCR report in stating the threat still exists for some, and that
asylum-seekers should be assessed, case by case.
-- BERNAMA


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