Sir, - For anyone who knows a little about the history of Australia, the plight of the unfortunate Afghan refugees marooned off Christmas Island made sad reading.
Have people really forgotten that it was the Afghan camel-drivers who helped to open up the great empty wastes of Australia in the 19th century and also were involved in many of the early pioneering explorations, such as the ill-fated Burke-Willis expedition of 1861?
The famous Ghan railway line which links Alice Springs to Adelaide commemorates those early Afghan and their camels, which today have become part of the tourist experience.
Many years ago, when living in Kabul, I met one of those resolute Afghan pioneers who had travelled to Australia and returned for a visit with his Australian wife. In Kabul he was treated like a hero and indeed it was touching to see how many of the ordinary Afghan people felt that both Afghanistan and Australia shared a common humanity towards each other.
Times change. - Yours, etc.,
Peter Somerville-Large, Arlands Inch, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny.