Amelia di Cielo and the Blackmailer – Part I

Guest Author Uncategorized

Jaycee writes (and thank you as always, Jaycee):

The story below is from an age of a kind of fading feudalism, an age when position and religion ruled the small villages dotted amongst the Dolomites of Northern Italy. It was told by my father to my mother and then to me. It is from around the turn of the 20th century, when the church creatures wielded enormous power in those communities. It is a tale that could be told from any number of small villages in those days – the tyranny of power, no matter how small, over those who could be exploited, who can be silenced – perhaps not THAT different from now! The actions by the criminals can be the same, but it is how the individual overcomes that bullying that is different. Some run, some succumb, some become violent . . .

The heroine of our little moment, from the lowest rung in the social ladder of such a community, chose instead – chose deliberately – to rely on her self-knowledge and confidence in her own honesty and character for no recognition, no reward and, but for this story, completely forgotten.

To me therein lies true courage.

I have dramatised it because in itself, if told as a passing anecdote, it could be related in a paragraph or two, but that would be to omit the background and the build-up toward the crux of the story-line. So c’mon – ride with us on the tail of the tale, so to speak . . .

Amelia di Cielo was a widow who lived many years ago in her sister’s house in the mountain village of Vigo Lomaso set snug at the foot of the Dolomites in the north of Italy. Being a widow in a small village had its drawbacks in those days, as she had no-one to support her. Being also without children, she would have no-one but her sister to look after her in her old age. After cautious consideration of her status in the village pecking order, Amelia di Cielo decided to take in laundry to earn a small income. She also would walk up into the mountains and gather bundles of thick-twigs which she would tie up with stout twine and cart back to sell for kindling. The money from these small enterprises would, she hoped, be enough to put away for her old age.

Every day she could be seen hanging her customers’ washing, like brightly coloured banners flapping in the breeze, on a long line between two trees at the back of her sister’s house. She would hang her customers’ washing between two shawls, one orange and one black, given to her by her mother years before; this was so there would be no mix-ups with her sister’s clothes. Amelia took pride in her humble little business, and as with many people of such penury, she put that extra effort in applying her labour, her elbow-grease – her clothes were so clean they seemed to glow with brightness! The other village women walking past always remarked with a shaking of their heads and a waving of their arm. “Amelia!” they’d shout in greeting, “Amelia di Cielo, tell us how you get your washing so bright!” Amelia would laugh and shout back, “Wouldn’t you like to know. But then I’d be out of business!” And the women would stump away shaking their heads and grinning, and Amelia would laugh in sympathy.

In the same village there lived an old widower. His wife had died only that year and he was having some difficulty keeping the house in order. Amelia did the laundry for the woman next door who told her about Signor Cacchio’s misfortune.

Being a kindly person, Amelia, after some thought decided, as there was only he in the house, there wouldn’t be much washing for only one old man. So she went to Signor Cacchio and offered to take in some of his clothes for free. She could easily fit in a few of his essentials with the rest of the wash: “A spoonful of water doesn’t make a difference to a river,” she said to herself.

But there: it’s a curious thing that the best of intentions can sometimes lead to the most insidious accusations. The parish priest’s assistant was a mean man. He could even be called a criminal, indeed, a criminal.

Lay brother Fichi had the eyes of a stalking animal; always looking, looking, looking. He saw himself as a self-appointed guardian of the diocese and printed a parish news-sheet. He wouldn’t neglect to print – if it suited his intent in a cunning, off the cuff way – any tasty bit of gossip he set his stalking eyes on and his large, large ears heard.

On one of his stealthy strolls about the village, he spied Amelia di Cielo coming out of the small flat of widower Cacchio with a bundle of clothes. To any other person this would have been logically assessed as Amelia picking up the laundry of another customer, and promptly forgotten; that is, to any other person, not Lay brother Fichi!

He slyly observed Amelia for the best part of that day washing those clothes along with the rest of her customers in an old copper out the back of her sister’s house. As she was pegging out widower Cacchio’s trousers, Lay brother Fichi smiled a wicked smile to himself. Taking himself out of hiding, he sauntered up to Amelia di Cielo with his hands in his pockets.

“Good afternoon to you, Widow Amelia,” he smirked. “A goodly swag of washing today – but rather a poor customer.”

He lifted the damp trouser leg of Signor Cacchio’s and let it flop down heavily on the line. “What would you charge a widower that everyone knows has less gold than a silver shilling?”

“I do not charge him at all,” answered Amelia di Cielo.

“But you go to his house?” queried Fichi slyly.

“And I take out his washing,” said Amelia quietly. For she was well aware of Lay brother Fichi’s wily tongue.

“You may say that, Amelia, but do the parishioners of this village know that? Or will they suspect an illicit acquaintance, an opportune acquaintance with Signor Cacchio, who as everyone knows should still be in mourning for his dearly departed wife? Could this be an affair without the blessing of our council?”

Amelia kept washing the clothes, but slower now as she grasped the cunning insinuation of his conversation. She looked him up and down out of the corner of her eye.

“They do not ‘suspect’ yet, Lay-brother Fichi, but I’m sure you could concoct a tale for them.”

“A tale, Signora? I see with my eyes, I tell. Let others believe what they will. I am but a messenger of the diocese.”

“Of the devil!” muttered Amelia. “But why do you watch me, Lay-brother Fichi? I am innocently doing my daily chores!” Amelia struck her small clenched fist angrily on her chest. Lay-brother Fichi just smiled his cunning smile and spoke condescendingly, almost affectionately, to the widow.

“Caro Ame1ia,” he smi1ed. “At your age! Don’t you know it’s almost always the innocent who are accused! One rarely gets to see the guilty ones commit their crimes.” And here he chuckled softly and gazed over his shoulder.

“Besides, he added seriously, “times are tight just now.”

“Well, what is it you want, Signor Fichi? To tell me these suspicions of yours?”

Lay-brother Fichi kept one hand in his pocket and with the other lifted the trouser leg of Signor Cacchio’s and let it fall, again and again, slowly, while he appeared to deliberate on Amelia’s question.

Though it may seem strange to you, an educated cosmopolitan, that any accusation of moral impropriety could have repercussions against such a person as Amelia di Cielo, you have to understand village thinking and social structure of that era. The church and its creatures were powerful figures in the communities; they wielded enormous influence on the peasants there. A village population has the collective personality of a single individual: a bit independent, whilst at the same time part of the crowd; a little suspicious, totally trusting; a free thinker a bored conservative . . . All this and more, but at the same time it loves a lurid tale, especially an immoral one.

Lay-brother Fichi was one of the best at dressing up a lurid tale and Amelia was just the sort of innocent victim that such people love to pitch on. Still more, other people love to criticise – and to be ostracised from the community in those times, when in such an impoverished state, was almost equivalent to a sentence of death.

“I want you to be able to keep your little business going, Amelia di Cielo.” He looked slyly at Amelia who remained silent and continued to plunge the clothes into the steaming water of the copper.

“I want people to be able to confidently trust their washer-woman not to stain their personal linen with any sin of impropriety. But of course, I must report to the parish any, er, indiscretion that I witness . . . unless?”

“Unless what, Lay-brother Fichi?” Amelia whispered. Signor Fichi looked slyly over his shoulder, but this was not new ground to him.

“A small amount of liras could keep my lips sealed.”

Amelia froze in her actions for just a second and a puzzled expression came over her face.

“How much?” she asked, automatically curious.

“Oh, I know what you charge and how much you take in. Let us say ten per cent per month.” He smiled as though he had concluded a cunning business deal.

Amelia thought fast, for although Signor Fichi had the criminal’s cunning, Amelia too, was cunning and she had time on her side. It seemed so simple, yet so complicated. All the pros and cons of the situation went into and out of her head. It wasn’t a question of guilt; she was old enough to know how people thought. It was enough in bored people’s minds to be even accused of an impropriety. It was enough for people to savour the luxury of seeing someone else getting it in the neck for them to ostracize her and then she would lose her customer, one by one. Oh yes, a few would stay, but only out of being seen to snub their noses at village convention. But their custom would be like cold charity. No, there was no defence with whining explanations to all too eager ears: “No smoke without fire!” she could hear them say. No, she would have to think of something else to shake this leech off her back.

“All right, Signor Fichi, give me a day . . . no, two! Two days to reconcile myself and I will see you again, but not here. I don’t want people to think the evil that you presume. I will meet you at the trattoria on Thursday and we will conduct any business we have to do there.”

“Very well, widow Amelia, ciao till Thursday.” He lifted the trouser leg of Signor Cacchio’s again with insinuating intent and smiling his cat smile, let it flop down heavily. “Till Thursday morning, and no later.” He turned and slunk away.

“Oh Dio, oh Dio!” Amelia sat down on a small green stool next to the tub that held the wrung clothes, What to do, what to do? She needed time and quiet to think. She finished her washing and hurried off to the church. She enjoyed the dark silence of that building and there she could pray and think.

“Maybe God will find me a way,” she mused.

(Image Credit: Biblioteca Comunale di Trento)

621 thoughts on “Amelia di Cielo and the Blackmailer – Part I”

  2. Did you hear that joke put out on ABC. news this morning…wait for it!…The Rand think tank (about as right-wing as you can get!) has done “research” that shows it costs between 30 – 40 % more to build ships here in Aust than other parts of the world”..what “other parts” they omit to mention…Tierra del Feugo , perhaps?..and the report was released(and no doubt funded) by Mr. Jesus himself…the defence minister..(I forget his name!).
    Wait till social media gets a hold of this bullshit!

  3. jaycee
    That ‘joke’ – I didn’t hear it, but you caught my interest. Looks like we are being well and truly set up.

    Naval ship building in Australia up to 40 per cent more expensive than overseas, RAND report finds
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-16/naval-ship-building-in-australia-more-expensive-than-overseas/6395972

    And just who is ‘RAND’? Let’s ignore the Wikis and the official sites and go conspiracy theory here.

    The Rand Corporation: The Think Tank That Controls America
    http://mentalfloss.com/article/22120/rand-corporation-think-tank-controls-america

    The RAND Corporation: America’s University of Imperialism
    http://www.alternet.org/story/83910/the_rand_corporation%3A_america%27s_university_of_imperialism

    There’s plenty more out there, just search.

  4. More on the commercialisation of Anzac Day.

    Gallipoli 2015: Lest we forget to turn a buck
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-16/green-anzacs-lest-we-forget-to-turn-a-buck/6396176

    And –
    Since when has it been OK for GGs to do ads? Can you imagine the howls from the MSM and the Fiberals if Quentin Bryce had posed with a brand name? This might have been OK when Cosgrove was just a defence chief, but it is not OK or appropriate for the GG. But I suppose it’s all OK if you are Abbott’s pick for GG.

  5. Apparently Abbott’s thrown another tantrum and has “locked away” $3 billion to Victoria for not building the EW link.

    I look forward to how Dan Andrews responds to this. Abbott’s really overstepped the line.

    And besides, Abbott started this crap of ripping up previous government policy, so as usual he’s being a hypocritical prick about it.

  10. Oh yeah, the troubles in NT Labor are happening at the moment. Should be interesting to see what happens though, they’re starting a leadership ballot with the rank and file membership there.

    The partyroom vote seemed to be 5 vs 3, so I think that means Lawrie will need 62% of the membership vote to stay as leader. I don’t really think that will happen, the voices within the party for her to step down seem to be a bit too loud, and she’s probably a bit too damaged from that supreme court judgment for that much goodwill.

  12. The Liberals – the Godfathers of Australian politics, always after the return of a favour – or else.

  13. Having Andrews as Premier feels great sometimes, ruffling all these LNP feathers.

    Barnett’s gone too far with that, and all it needs to put him down is a stern “Don’t go there, mate”

  14. Of the many household things that came from my parents’ place a year and a half ago, there were 5 dozen assorted tins of legumes: beans of all kinds, chick peas, and lentils.

    They occupied nearly two shelves of my pantry.

    OH has been nagging me for a few months to use them, so this morning, being in the mood to make a large pot of my mother’s legume and veggie soup/stew, I asked him to help by taking the dented tins out of the pantry and into the kitchen.

    To our horror we found that one tin had ruptured, so the whole lot had to be moved to the kitchen to be checked. Fortunately, the rest seemed alright, so I sorted out a dozen tins – red kidney, butter, and borlotti beans, chick peas, and lentils. OH kindly opened the tins for me, checking them carefully for any signs of corrosion. All is good, so the drained contents of the tins are now simmering with a motley assortment of dried split peas, and seasoned with cinnamon, tumeric, coriander and cumin.

    When the split peas are soft I will be adding chopped cauliflour, broccoli and carrot.

    It makes a very nice (and filling) meal.

    So, I have 4 dozen more tins to use – mostly chick peas and butter beans. I’m planning kumara and chick pea soup, chick pea and potato curry, a Tuscan white bean and vegetable soup, and a bean and spinach stew.

    I think there’s enough room in the freezer . . .

  15. Kirsdarke

    They all appear to be aping toxic. Talk back on 774 this morning was saying they are sick of the constant bickering, just get on with the job. Faine surprised me and actually pulled a Lib caller, asking her to back up some of the stupid statements she was making.

  16. More about the push to send asylum seekers to Cambodia –

    First, the document given to asylum seekers to convince them Cambodia is heaven on earth. What a shame they have access to the internet and know it’s all lies.Thanks to Crikey for the link.

    Click to access Cambodia-settle-letter.pdf

    And Crikey’s commentary on this – paywalled, so you can have it all.

    The lies our government is telling refugees about Cambodia
    MICHAEL SAINSBURY | APR 16, 2015 12:26PM

    The Australian government is telling refugees in Nauru outright lies about the reality of life in impoverished Cambodia, which has been ruled by a ruthless dictator for almost 30 years.

    Its efforts are outlined in an extraordinary five-page document, “Settlement in Cambodia Fact Sheet”, which was issued to refugees and obtained by Crikey.

    You can read the document here.

    But it appears the Abbott government has a strange understanding of “facts”.

    The document states that the first flight to Phnom Penh will be as early as April 20, which is next Monday. It was last updated on April 10.

    Yet Crikey understands from a number of sources that there has been no interest from refugees currently in the Nauru refugee camp and that as of last week, the Cambodian government had received no applications for resettlement. It is also understood that extraordinary pressure is being applied by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection — the result of pressure from cabinet — on detainees in an effort to get “some bums on planes”, as one insider put it.

    The document states that the average monthly wage in Cambodia is $130 and that “residents have a good standard of living”. Only in Canberra can anyone think that $130 a month buys a good standard of living anywhere.

    Decent working people I know in Phnom Penh live three to a tiny room, have no indoor plumbing, and bare wood or dirt floors. And these are not the poor people.

    The fact sheet states that Cambodia is safe. It is not, especially after dark. I personally know at least three people who have been mugged in the past year, including one female friend. On my second-to-last visit — I have been about 10 times in the past two years — thieves on a moving bike tried to wrest my mobile phone from me while I was travelling in a tuk tuk. Oddly, the document states that here are no problems with stray dogs — again an outright fib.

    The document says that Cambodia is a democracy, yet Prime Minister Hun Sen took charge — after 12 years of coexisting with rivals — in a coup d’etat. While there have been elections since, Hun Sen has never lost. The opposition and aid groups audited the last election and found multiple irregularities, including ghost voters and opposition supporters missing from the rolls. The legal and prison system is utterly corrupt, something I also know from first-hand experience trying to help a friend trapped in the system.

    The fact sheet states — twice! —  that Cambodia has “good healthcare for the region”. More nonsense: anyone with anything serious is medi-vacced to Bangkok. Only Laos and Myanmar have worse healthcare in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

    Then there is the money being thrown at the problem. Refugees are promised four years of housing, healthcare, education, Khmer lessons and support, all paid for by the Australian taxpayer, yet we do not get any of the benefit of these people’s enterprise.

    After laying out a Cambodia that only exists in the minds of Canberra bureaucrats, the documents then details packages worth tens of thousands of dollars in a last-ditch effort to convince some of them to move to Cambodia under the highly questionable resettlement deal (decried by the United Nations) that Australia struck with Hun Sen last year.

    The fact sheet also states that Australia will make efforts for refugees to be reunited with their families if they move to Cambodia (the packages could be worth well in excess of $100,000 in family cases).

    The deal with Cambodia was inked by former immigration minister Scott Morrison in an embarrassing ceremony during which he swilled champagne with Hun Sen’s cabinet ministers.

    Details have never been released to the Australian taxpayer, although it is understood a payment of at least $40 million will be made to Hun Sen’s government, which has an audited track record of embezzling aid funding. About 50% of Cambodia’s budget comes from foreign aid. Its government heavies live in high-security places, and most of its population lives in poverty. It is the second-poorest country per capita in south-east Asia and may soon be overtaken by Myanmar, which is now outstripping it in GDP growth.

    Hundreds of thousands of Cambodians work illegally in neighbouring Thailand — some are enslaved in that country’s notorious human trafficking industry, which Thailand’s present government finally seems to be targeting. There are few jobs for university graduates, and the country’s main exports industry, the chronically underpaid garment trade, is home to some of Asia’s most notorious sweatshops.

    In the period since the grubby deal with the Abbott government was signed, Cambodia has shown its refugee colours. Dozens of Christian Montagnards from Vietnam fleeing persecution have been returned, while many more remain in hiding from Hun Sen’s thugs. But the fact sheet cheerfully insists: “In Cambodia, there are jobs for migrants, and strong support networks for newly settled refugees, including opportunities to buy businesses.”

    The real kicker is that once they have agreed to resettle in Cambodia, the Australian government washes its hands of the refugees. The only country that can have them back is Nauru, a questionable position, like much of Australia’s refugee policy.

    The Cambodian government has a track record of returning refuges to their original country of persecution. The country is offering to take the refugees from Nauru for one reason only: millions of dollars from Australia.

    Any government and bureaucracy capable of attempting to barter its shameful human cargo with such lies and blandishments has clearly chucked its moral compass overboard

    http://www.crikey.com.au/2015/04/16/exclusive-the-lies-our-government-is-telling-refugees-about-cambodia/

    A reminder of a past moment – Morrison celebrating the deal with Cambodia.

  17. Fiona
    The stew sounds lovely. Is the recipe going to be available or is it a state secret?

  19. Heather’s Legume and Vegetable Stew / Soup

    *Note: The tin size is 400g

    Tins:

    2 red kidney beans
    2 borlotti beans
    2 split peas
    4 butter beans
    4 chick peas
    4 lentils

    Spices:

    1 tablespoon cinnamon
    1 tablespoon ground coriander
    2 teaspoons tumeric

    and today I accidentally added 2 teaspoons cumin

    Vegetables:

    Chopped carrots, cauliflower and broccoli (including the stems)

    Method:

    1. Put drained contents of tins into large stockpot.
    2. Add spices.
    3. Cover with cold water (if you prefer, use stock – I generally don’t when cooking pulses).
    4. Bring pot to the boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover pot.
    5. Simmer for an hour while you chop the vegetables.
    6. Add vegetables and more water / stock if needed. Cook for 5 minutes.

    If you wish, you can add diced meat(s) of your choice 10 minutes before you add the vegetables.

    Today I’m using a whole cauliflower, four fairly large heads of broccoli and 8 large carrots, because I want this to be a complete meal – though when reheating the evening’s serve I might add some slices green beans.

    Enjoy – and Al Palster’s suggested wine would go down a treat.

    A couple of years ago I made the recipe but used dried beans etc instead. I estimated 1.5 cups would be equivalent to one tin. Like a good little cook, I soaked the dried beans and chick peas overnight, only to discover next morning that the stockpot was almost overflowing, with lentils, split peas and vegetables still to be added. Luckily I had another large stockpot.

    Back to vegetable chopping . . .

  22. A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was considering my membership about passing the metadata laws. I’ve decided not to let it lapse.

    The reason being is that Abbott’s reminded me why I joined in the first place, to be part of the movement that opposes him and his disgusting rule, and while I am annoyed about metadata laws, it’s not really enough to break off.

  23. From IA, an excellent analysis of Abbott’s hyper-masculinity.

    The Tony Abbott red room of pain
    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-tony-abbott-red-room-of-pain,7586

    I liked this comment.

    It is possible that Abbott’s annoying and condescending use of phrase repetition may not be deliberate but compulsive. Normally used to drive home a point, repeating of phrases is also a well documented psychiatric condition often brought about by a blow to the cerebral cortex. As to Abbott himself, I think most psychiatrists would agree that there is enough material there to fill at least two conferences

  24. “…there is enough material there to fill at least two conferences .”….I was thinking more in the line of septic tanks!

  26. Fiona
    I don’t mind cooking big quantities and stocking up the freezer. I usually cook dried beans, I can work out quantities, I think, and if there are too many beans they can be stashed in the freezer too.

  27. I don’t know why anyone would ever listen to talkback radio. Surely a moment’s thought about the kind of people that call in would be enough to keep you away? Opinions are great, but I’d rather get them direct from talking to people myself than listen to strangers who I can’t even respond to.

    Most of the time I can’t even see the point of interviews with ministers or MPs. The viewer invariably carries preconceptions into them, and rarely if ever has those opinions changed.

    The best thing that ever happened was those Community Cabinets. That felt for a brief shining moment like democracy in action.

  28. The best thing that ever happened was those Community Cabinets. That felt for a brief shining moment like democracy in action.

    Quite so, Aguirre. Easy to see why the abbott didn’t continue them….he’d have to stack them with supporters only to avoid any difficult questions that would show him up for the idiot he is.

    I hope that Labor picks up the idea again when they get back into office.

  29. Aguirre

    I agree with you about the talkback stuff, but I was interested to hear the response to Dan Andrews and the E/W link. I agree about the Community Cabinets, they were a thing of beauty. All questions unvetted and answered, or personal talk later if needed.

  31. Kirsdarke

    I am glad you have decided to stick with Labor for now. It is far more important to concentrate on the rubbish that is running the country at the moment and do everything we can to get rid of them. As I said earlier, all the LNP oppositions are trying to do what Toxic did in opposition, but I am hoping people are a wake up to their antics.

  32. Went to my Optometrist today to see about some reading glasses. It was a frustrating exercise for awhile because the floater blobs refused to move so my vision could be assessed. When we’d just about given up, I got some clear space to look through and discovered it isn’t as bad as I feared.

    The Optometrist is of the opinion that the problem with the floaters will improve in time so by the time I see the Opthalmologist on June 1st, I may be lucky and not have to front up for more surgery/treatment to remove them. Whatever, I had already decided I will not be doing anything about anything unless I can’t see at all!

  34. Aid agencies say not enough is being done to save the lives of the rising number of people trying to cross the sea to Europe.
    Up to 20,000 people fleeing poverty and conflict have made the perilous crossing to Italy since the start of the year, similar to the same period in 2014, a year when a record 170,000 reached the country’s shores.
    Almost 10,000 people have been picked up in recent days, and more boats are heading for the Italian coast.

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32322297

  36. gravel

    I did not but watched all or most of them. Julia was so brave, not afraid at all and answering questions as always the best she could. She was a star.

  40. I see there is general discussion on the board about food…and what a delightful subject it is too!
    We went shopping today..it was a big shop over at Nuri’ Coop’….I get to push the trolley..like lot of other blokes..’rack ’em ‘n stack ’em…I was parked up at the “boxes o’ cakes” shelves, at eye level with the Betty Crocker mud-cake….I have to say that although I have never partaken of the cake-in-a-box products, just going on the “weight-to-cake” average, I think Betty wins over the White Wings and the Donna Hay products by a country mile.

    But as I was saying..I was moored at the shelves there when this chap I had a casual convers’ with in the Hair-styling isle stopped, caught my eye and held up a tin of “setting wax” (I think it said) for me to peruse..

    ” This was what I was after”. he announced, “I want to use this to twist and set my mustache ends so they grow upwards and pointed”
    “Like Hercule Poirot?” I queried.
    “Yes!..exactly!….My friend has these really long pointed ends and I want mine to go like his”…sadly, one glance at the sad brush that had taken precarious root on his upper lip and I could see he was facing a strong head-wind. I thought I could help..I leant close and whispered..
    ” Listen..perhaps you could help it along a tad by asking your wife if you could borrow a couple of clippings of…well..you know..” and I made those twisted-face gestures so familiar to men..sort of like a cross between a wink and a twitch….he set me straight..
    “What!..no..no I’m not married..never have been…thank goodness(he added quickly)”…and he walked away..and it was then I realised he may have other interests than what I so insensitively presumed.

  49. What do you reckon, Bananas?

    Iran’s ambassador to Australia has played down Foreign Minister Julie Bishop’s chances of persuading Tehran to take back asylum seekers.

    Ms Bishop, who is due to arrive in Iran tomorrow, is expected to press for a deal to forcibly repatriate Iranian asylum seekers who have failed to obtain refugee status in Australia.

    The visit will see the first direct high-level talks between Australia and Tehran in more than a decade.

    But Iranian ambassador Abdolhossein Vahaji has already indicated his country is unlikely to agree.

    “We cannot put any pressure and impose any forces on them in order to send them back to Iran,” he said.

    “This is against the law and regulation and we cannot [do it] according to human rights [laws].

    “Asylum seekers, as a general [principle], have the right to decide where to live… and they are the ones [who] have to make [the] decision whether they want to go back to any country.”

Comments are closed.