This Popular Music Producer From Iraq Has Some Words About "Bigotry" Against Refugees

"On this day I ask everybody to get behind what's right."

Music producer Motez has inspired thousands with a Facebook post commemorating 10 years since he moved to Australia from Iraq.

"On this day, 10 years ago I moved to Australia from Iraq and made Adelaide my new home," he wrote.

"On this day I ask everybody to get behind what's right, to raise their voices in the face of injustice, bigotry and xenophobia, to be informed about the crisis as a whole not only in Australia but around the world and to help those in need who simply cannot 'go back where they came from'.

"I do not believe for one second that Australia as a whole doesn't welcome refugees because 'Real Australians Say Welcome' and I have seen and experienced this first hand."

The Baghdad-born musician is currently touring Australia and has urged his more than 50,000 followers to "get behind what's right" and support the growing push for asylum-seeker rights.

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"This is not a political issue," he posted, "it's not about being a 'greenie' or 'socialist', not about right or left wing, it's an issue about being human and humane. It transcends any political or ideological affiliations."

Both the Labor party and the Coalition have near-identical border protection policies. Federal minister for immigration and border patrol Peter Dutton caused controversy earlier this month after saying "illiterate and innumerate" refugees would threaten Australian jobs.

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Motez told BuzzFeed News he wrote the Facebook post to inform the Australian public that asylum-seekers "can actually contribute to Australia, work their socks off for themselves and [their] country, and can achieve so much".

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"I just wanted to use my platform as a musician to shed the light on an issue dear to my heart that we are yet to resolve," he said.

"It's an issue that's been persistent for years and unfortunately viewed with a bit of scrutiny and negativity in lots of media outlets."

The reaction to Motez's post has been "overwhemingly great", he said, touching on his father's journey to Australia via boat in 1999.

"My dad is the reason my family is here," he said. "He came to Australia on a boat back in 1999 as an asylum-seeker. He then was locked up in Woomera Detention Centre for a year with a bunch of other asylum-seekers as soon as they got to Christmas Island.

"Upon his release he was granted a temporary protection visa. A few years later he was given a permanent residency which he used to get us out of Iraq and bring us to Adelaide – at that time we were still living in Baghdad during, and post, the 2003 US-led invasion."

Motez hopes people think of his post and consider the "various great success stories" from other asylum-seekers and immigrants in Australia.

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"If we start talking about this more and more in a positive way I think that would definitely help others who might be 'afraid' of asylum-seekers 'stealing their jobs' or view the issue with scrutiny to see people like myself and countless others as a constructive and encouraging addition to the country they, and we, love."

Motez's fans were very into the message, praising him for using his platform to bring attention to the refugee crisis.

Facebook: motez.music