Ah. . . the irony

Tampa refugee to play for NZ
July 8, 2005
The Age

A young Afghani boy rescued from a sinking refugee boat off Australia four years ago has been picked to play for New Zealand's national junior team in an international competition in Hong Kong this month.

Mokhtar Mohammadi, one of 433 Afghani asylum-seekers rescued by Norwegian freighter Tampa in August 2001, will receive NZ citizenship today. It is being accelerated so he can get a passport to travel with the Junior All Whites on July 16.

The Afghanis were rescued from a sinking fishing boat off Christmas Island after they had paid smugglers to take them from Indonesia to Australia.

NZ accepted 133 of the Tampa boat people, including 37 unaccompanied boys, after Australia refused to let them into the country.


Imagine for a minute if the story came full circle and young Mokhtar ended up playing for the Kiwis against Australia in a test?
I would love to be at that game - go Mokhtar!