Refugees are often confused with immigrants and asylum seekers, where in fact there are many differences between them. The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and it's 1967 Protocol, to which Australia is a signatory, defines a refugee as: Any person who owing to a well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons such of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his/her nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country. Refugees should be treated with compassion. We Australia are obligated under international law to offer support and to insure that the person is not sent back unwillingly to their country of origin, if they are found out to be a refugee. Rarely do refugees have the chance to make plans for their departure...