Young son yearns to be with Zaoui

Ahmed Zaoui

If Ahmed Zaoui's family succeed in their application to join him in New Zealand as refugees, the decision will annoy NZ First leader Winston Peters but delight a boy who has not seen his father for nearly three years.

Mr Zaoui's wife, Leila, and four sons - Youssef, 7, Adbel, 14, Soheib, 17, and Hicham, 19 - have applied through Mr Zaoui's lawyer, Deborah Manning, to move to New Zealand as refugees.

Ms Manning told the Sunday Star-Times that supporters had offered the family financial assistance, but she could not preclude the need for the family to apply for a benefit, to which refugees are entitled.

The Government has refused to consider the applications until Mr Zaoui's case is resolved (he is on bail awaiting a review of his SIS security risk certificate, which could mean his deportation).

The applications have been criticised by the National and New Zealand First parties. While the politicians bicker over issues of cost, security risk and human rights, for Mr Zaoui's youngest son all it means is growing up without a father.

The family spoke of the separation to TV3's Campbell Live producer Carol Hirschfeld, who travelled to interview them at a Southeast Asian location for a segment to screen tonight.

They also got a taste of what they were missing - a satellite link let Mr Zaoui and the family talk face to face for the first time since he left for New Zealand in December 2002.

Hirschfeld said separation had a strong effect on son Youssef, who was 4 1/2 years old when he last saw his father. "Ahmed phones regularly but I think the satellite link was so powerful because they hadn't actually seen each other in the flesh for nearly three years.

"Seeing how much Youssef had grown was something Ahmed really responded to."

Hirschfeld said the family had perceived NZ as "a peaceful land which offered a place of refuge with a good record for democracy".

National's immigration spokesman, Tony Ryall, said calls for the family to be allowed in before Mr Zaoui's case was settled were ludicrous.

"We shouldn't have a system in New Zealand where you get one refugee and end up with several others. It puts a lot of pressure on the system."

If it was decided Mr Zaoui should go but his family had already been let in, then Mr Zaoui would have another argument for coming back, said Mr Ryall.

Mr Peters said at his campaign launch in Takapuna yesterday that the Zaoui case had already cost the country $2 million.

"Mr Zaoui, you can see your family tomorrow if you would just get on a plane and go and see them."

But the Green Party said Mr Zaoui should be shown some "Kiwi compassion" because his separation from his family was the fault of deficiencies in New Zealand's own systems. He had also spent two years in jail "unnecessarily".

The party said allowing the family to get together could not represent a security danger to New Zealand.

- additional reporting: NZPA