Asia Pacific vulnerable to people smuggling

Asia Pacific vulnerable to people smuggling

Rita A.Widiadana and Wahyoe Boedhiwardhana, The Jakarta Post,
Nusa Dua, Bali

The second regional ministerial conference on people smuggling
and trafficking, and transnational crime opened here on Tuesday,
with a call for closer cooperation among participating countries
to fight the practices.

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, during
his opening speech, stressed the need to reaffirm commitments
made during the first conference in Bali in February, 2002.

A statement issued during the first conference was used as the
foundation for participating countries to set up two Ad-hoc
working groups.

Increased participation at this year's conference was due to a
growing awareness of the problems, Hassan said.

Ministers and senior government officials from 39 countries in
the Asia-Pacific region are participating in this year's
conference. Representatives from another 20 countries, including
from Europe, the Middle-East and Africa, as well as the United
States, are attending as observers.

Also present are delegations from 16 international
organizations, including the International Organization of
Migration, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and
the International Red Cross.

The Ad-hoc Experts' Working Group on Legislative Framework,
Policy Issues and Law enforcement, led by Maj. Gen. Krerkphong
Pukprayura of Thailand, has completed a survey and assessment of
participating country's relevant laws, established networks of
cooperation among relevant law-enforcement agencies and has
formulated model legislation that makes smuggling a crime.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told delegates
that the world had witnessed a marked increase in the incidence
of people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related
transnational crimes, including drug trafficking, money
laundering and arms smuggling.

"These activities create significant political, economic,
social and security challenges.

"The Asia Pacific region has been the focal point for much of
these activities. But, this conference is not about describing
the problem. We know the challenges facing our region too well,"
Downer said, adding that the second conference would see how the
participating countries could continue to meet the challenges.

Despite Indonesian promises, the country has done little to
discourage the practices of people smuggling. Indonesian waters
are often used as a transit point for people hoping to enter
Australia illegally.

Last week, Indonesian authorities in Kalimantan provided 42
Vietnamese men, woman and children packed aboard an unseaworthy
vessel with food and water before allowing them to continue on to
Australia.

And despite repeated requests from Australian authorities for
the extradition of an Egyptian man wanted for allegedly
masterminding a smuggling operation, Indonesian authorities sent
him to Egypt.

However, that attempt, when more than 350 people landed on
Christmas Island in August 2001, was the last time a smuggling
vessel from Indonesia has succeeded in reaching Australia.

The lack of further attempts has been put down to Australia's
controversial hard-line approach to immigrants.

Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty
Natalegawa said the Vietnamese case "illustrates that this is
still an ongoing issue which we need to solve jointly."