Asia-Pacific region to spur antipeople smuggling<\/p>\n
Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali<\/p>\n
Ministers from the Asia Pacific region wound up their two-day
\nconference on combating people smuggling on Wednesday with a
\npledge to forge closer cooperation among member countries and
\ninternational organizations, and to draft legal frameworks
\ndealing with these issues.<\/p>\n
They also appealed for more economic aid for source countries
\nto reduce illegal migration pressures and adequate consideration
\nfor improved opportunities for legal migration, \"including access
\nto the international labor market\".<\/p>\n
Speaking at the end of a two-day seminar, which was jointly
\norganized by Indonesia and Australia, foreign minister Hassan
\nWirayuda said that while much work remained, \"we have taken one
\nbig, important step toward the eradication of the problem of
\npeople-smuggling, trafficking in persons and related
\ntransnational crimes in our region.\"<\/p>\n
\"We are seeing the progress of the Bali Process. Indeed we
\nagreed not only to continue to work on illegal migrants but also
\nto maintain the political momentum regarding the regional
\ncooperation on people smuggling,\" said Hassan, co-chairman of the
\nconference.<\/p>\n
\"The Bali Process does not legislate. The Process does not
\nforce anybody to do anything. But it provides frameworks of
\ncooperation, context and priority in dealing with people
\nsmuggling and other transnational crimes,\" said Australian
\nforeign minister Alexander Downer, co-chairman of the meeting.<\/p>\n
Some 28 ministers from 32 countries, representatives from 14
\nobserver nations and officials from 15 international agencies met
\nin Denpasar, Bali, following up the first such meeting in
\nFebruary last year.<\/p>\n
The ministers agreed to reconvene for the third ministerial
\nconference within two or three years to review the progress of
\nwhat they call the Bali Process. Senior official meetings will
\nalso be organized every year to ensure that the Bali Process
\nworks well. Participating countries had initially agreed to stop
\nat the second conference.<\/p>\n
The Bali Process has provided adequate knowledge to
\nparticipating countries on how to manage illegal migrants and
\npeople smuggling. It also provides technical cooperation in
\nenhancing their capacity building in terms of legal
\ninfrastructure and other kinds of assistance.<\/p>\n
The first ministerial conference focused on the challenges
\nconfronting states in their efforts to combat transnational
\ncrimes, in particular people smuggling and trafficking, while the
\nsecond provided an opportunity to reflect on follow-up to date
\nand focus attention on the issues still to be tackled.<\/p>\n
Within one year, there has been remarkable progress in dealing
\nwith people smuggling, trafficking in people and other related
\ntransnational crimes among participating countries.<\/p>\n
Hassan said Indonesia had gained direct benefits from the
\nconference. In l999, the country hosted 3,832 illegal migrants
\nmostly from Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern countries,
\nincluding Iraq.<\/p>\n
After the first Bali conference, Indonesia signed an agreement
\nwith the Afghan government on how to deal with these migrants.<\/p>\n
\"With the help of the Afghan government, IOM and UNHCR, around
\n605 Afghans have returned home voluntarily,\" Hassan said,
\nreferring to the International Organization of Migration and the
\nUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.<\/p>\n
Currently, the number of illegal migrants in Indonesia is only
\naround 450 people.<\/p>\n
Asian countries, and especially Indonesia, were for years a
\ntransit point for gangs smuggling asylum-seekers -- mainly
\nAfghans and Iraqis -- into Australia by boat.<\/p>\n
\"I hope that with the situation in Iraq is getting better so
\nillegal migrants from that country could also return home,\"
\nHassan said.<\/p>\n
The co-chairs' statement urged the international community to
\nassist source countries to address the root causes of the illegal
\nmovement of people by providing emergency aid, development
\nassistance, direct support programs for displaced persons and to
\naddress the plight of refugees.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asia-pacific-region-to-spur-antipeople-smuggling-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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