Indonesians jailed over 'Tampa' affair<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Perth, Australia<\/p>\n
An Australian court sentenced two Indonesians Friday to jail
\nterms ranging from four to seven years for their role in an ill-
\nfated attempt to smuggle more than 400 asylum seekers into
\nAustralia last year.<\/p>\n
Bastian Disun, 33, and Norbames Nurdin, 32, faced up to 20
\nyears in prison over the so-called Tampa affair, which turned the
\nworld spotlight on Australia's hardline policy on boat people.<\/p>\n
Two other Indonesians were acquitted late Thursday in the case
\ninvolving a bid to smuggle 434 mostly Afghan asylum-seekers from
\nIndonesia to Australia's remote Christmas Island in the Indian
\nOcean.<\/p>\n
The four defendants were crewmen on the fishing boat Palapa
\nand had pleaded innocent, saying they were duped by Indonesian
\npeople smugglers who have grown rich plying their trade.<\/p>\n
In handing down the sentences Friday, judge Allan Fenbury
\nexpressed regret at jailing the two men but said it was necessary
\nto deter other poor Indonesian fishermen who might be tempted to
\nhelp people smugglers.<\/p>\n
Disun was the captain of the Palapa, a 20-meter (66-foot)
\nfishing boat which broke down near Christmas Island in August
\n2001.<\/p>\n
A Norwegian freighter, the Tampa, rescued the passengers and
\ncrew but was then refused permission by Australia to drop the
\nasylum seekers on Christmas Island.<\/p>\n
The affair turned into an international incident as the asylum
\nseekers remained stranded for a week on the Tampa with captain
\nArne Rinnan refusing to return them to Indonesia and Australia
\nrefusing then asylum.<\/p>",
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