Island prepared for immigrants

Island prepared for immigrants

SINGAPORE (AP): Singapore is preparing a small island near its
shores as a detention center for a potential flood of illegal
immigrants from economically troubled neighbors, a news report
said yesterday.

Authorities are readying St. John's Island, a former political
prison, The Straits Times reported, adding that old buildings on
the tiny island are being refurbished and ringed with barbed
wire.

Instability in neighboring countries has already led to a
surge in illegal immigrants looking for work in this affluent
city-state, which imports much of its labor force from overseas.
A Hong Kong-based think-tank said yesterday that more could be on
the way.

With the economy worsening in Indonesia, "the prospect of yet
another wave of Indonesians trying to slip into Singapore ... has
risen significantly," the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy
said in a report made available yesterday.

Singapore fears an increase in crime as these illegal
foreigners swamp the country, and has conducted a series of
highly-publicized nationwide raids since the start of the year
against illegal immigrants.

The PERC said there are other dangers to consider: A glut of
small boats carrying illegal immigrants dangerously clogging the
busy waterways around Singapore.

The crowding could "threaten the entrepot trade which forms
the basis of the Singapore economy," the think-tank said.

Singapore remains one of the busiest ports in the world, while
the congested shipping lanes skirting the island republic and
neighboring Indonesia witness heavy traffic, occasionally leading
to costly accidents.

"This is quite apart from the negative international publicity
Singapore may bring upon itself as it attempts to stem the tide
by caning immigration offenders," the PERC report added.

Illegal immigrants face up to six months jail and 12 strokes
of the cane if convicted of unlawful entry into the country.

In April, Singapore created a special court located inside its
existing immigration prison for the sole purpose of trying
illegal immigrants, while it has held special sessions in its
regular courts to try large batches of accused foreigners.

The number of illegal immigrants arrested last year rose 33
percent to 7,600 people, a figure that is likely to be easily
eclipsed by the end of 1998.