Young and alone in a strange land

By Rachel Kleinman
Updated July 3 2014 - 7:18am, first published 3:00am
A child's drawing from the Woomera Detention Centre.
A child's drawing from the Woomera Detention Centre.
A rally for the rights of asylum seekers in April. Photo: Justin McManus
A rally for the rights of asylum seekers in April. Photo: Justin McManus

Sajjad* was convinced he was going to die. The engine on the boat had stopped working, the weather was stormy and the seas were high. He couldn't swim. Aged just 16, he was sure his life was over. ''When I thought I was going to die, I asked myself lots of questions. 'God, why have you made me a Hazara to suffer like this? Why have you made this life for me?'

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