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.