Australia praises RI's efforts to curb people smuggling
Australia praises RI's efforts to curb people smuggling
SYDNEY, Australia (Agencies): Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Sunday praised Indonesian efforts to crack down on illegal people smuggling gangs, saying Jakarta had recently prevented a ship full of asylum seekers setting off for Australia.
Downer said on Sunday Indonesia stopped another boat carrying asylum seekers heading for Australia.
That announcement comes a day after the government said the Australian navy boarded an Indonesian vessel on Friday carrying 237 asylum seekers and placed them on a troop ship bound for Papua New Guinea.
"Without going into the details of this there has been a substantial effort made by the Indonesians to stop another boat coming to Australia in the last day or so. That boat hasn't come," Downer told Australian Broadcasting Corporation television.
Downer and two other senior ministers visited Jakarta on Thursday and Friday to press for more action to stem the rising tide of refugees and illegal immigrants who pay Indonesian-based people smuggling rings thousands of dollars to ship them to Australia.
The issue came to a head late last month when Australian Prime Minister John Howard refused to allow 433 refugees rescued from a sinking Indonesian ferry to land on Australia's remote Christmas Island.
Downer told Australian Broadcasting Corp. television Australian and Indonesian defense forces would work closely together as part of a regional plan to combat people smuggling.
"What the Indonesians have started to do now is tighten up their barrier control," Downer said. "And without going into the details of this, there's been a substantial effort made by the Indonesians to stop another boat from coming to Australia in the last day or so. And that boat hasn't come, so they are starting to put in place systems."
Indonesia is considering expanding its detention centers, with help from Australia, and both governments will this week hold talks on collaboration between their defense forces.
However, Downer would not reveal what would become of the latest shipment of unwanted refugees.
In a further crackdown on people smugglers, Prime Minister John Howard announced Saturday he planned to introduce legislation barring people who arrive on two remote Australian islands from claiming asylum.
The proposal would prevent people claiming asylum on Christmas and Ashmore Islands, two popular dumping places for immigrants because of their proximity to Indonesia.
The minor but influential Australian Democrats quickly condemned the proposed laws as a knee-jerk reaction and said it might violate Australia's international obligations.
Kim Beazley, leader of the main opposition Labor Party told reporters the government's plan needed more detail and seemed to be part of an ad hoc response, but he left the door open to providing support.
"If John Howard can convince us that it is part of a real solution then he will get real support from us," he said.
Meanwhile, Howard's goal of preventing the 433 asylum seekers coming to Australia could be thwarted.
The Federal Court has still to rule on a case brought by civil liberties lawyers who claim Australia acted illegally in refusing to accept the Tampa asylum seekers.
A decision is expected by Monday. If the ruling goes against the government, the Tampa asylum seekers could land in Australia.
Meanwhile, defense minister Peter Reith is traveling to Nauru on Sunday to examine arrangements for the Tampa refugees to be sent there and did not rule out discussing sending more asylum seekers to the small nation.
In another development in Wellington, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark on Sunday urged the coming session of the United Nations General Assembly to focus attention on the world's 22.5 million refugees, asylum seekers and displaced people.
She issued a statement expressing concern about the continuing flow of asylum seekers trying to land on Australian territory from Indonesia following the interception of another boat with more than 230 people aboard on Saturday.