LEST WE FORGET

Lest we forget   Lest we forget   Lest we forget   Lest we forget

De hát mért sírsz, kis lány (But why are you crying, little girl?)
Ich kann kein Wort verstehen (I can't understand a word)
I lost the language of my pain
I need to sing it all the same

Lest we forget   Lest we forget   Lest we forget   Lest we forget

Back in 1956 we poured across the Hungarian borders.
Nearly a quarter million Magyars into Austria – a small country of 8 million people – itself just liberated, but still impoverished and bearing the scars of war.
They didn't doubt that we were genuine refugees.
They opened their hearts.
After all we had taken the agonising decision to leave our country
because we no longer felt welcome or safe at home.

Lest we forget   Lest we forget   Lest we forget   Lest we forget

In 1975 they poured into rickety boats to escape Vietnam.
More than 100,000 embarking on a perilous journey to Australia
– a country of freedom, safety and opportunity.
We didn't doubt that they were genuine refugees.
We opened our hearts.
After all they had taken the agonising decision to leave their country
because they no longer felt welcome or safe at home.

Lest we forget   Lest we forget   Lest we forget   Lest we forget

The rickety boats were coming again,
Carrying people from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and other war-torn countries.
Now we doubt that they are genuine refugees.
‘Close your hearts,' our leaders say.
‘It is dangerous for us, that they left their homes in this irregular manner.
Let's lock them away. Out of sight. Send them back.
Pay our poor neighbours to take care of them.'
How did it happen that we no longer feel safe to welcome them?

Lest we forget   Lest we forget   Lest we forget   Lest we forget

Music by Glenda Cloughley, spoken lyrics and lyrics of the verse by Johanna McBride