Indonesia protests boat push-back policy after asylum seekers found stranded

Date
    November 27, 2015


Tensions have once again flared between Indonesia and Australia over asylum seeker policy after a boat that was pushed back from Christmas Island by the Royal Australian Navy ran out of fuel off Indonesia.      

On Thursday evening - just hours before a two-day summit on refugees began in Jakarta with 14 countries participating including Australia - the boat carrying 16 asylum seekers and an Indonesian captain washed up at a beach in West Kupang.


The whereabouts of the boat had been a mystery after it was towed out to sea when it came within 200 metres of Christmas Island last Friday.

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry on Friday reiterated its opposition to Australia's boat push-back policy, which it says puts lives at risk and is not a sustainable solution.

"Unilateral action is not in line with our spirit of co-operation," Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Muhammad Fachir said outside the meeting.

"Those who were sent back - what about their fate? It should become our common concern."

Mr Fachir said the latest boat incident would not disturb the refugee round table, which would focus on the root causes of the irregular movements of persons. However Indonesia will seek an explanation from the Australian government.

Australia is being represented at the round table by the ambassador for people smuggling issues for Australia, Andrew Goledzinowski, who will chair a panel on Saturday on future co-operation among affected countries.

"Indonesia's stance remains that boat push-backs are endangering," Arrmanatha Nasir, a spokesman from the office of Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, told Fairfax Media.

"The irregular migrant issue must be addressed comprehensively, it cannot be solved by only one party such as the destination country or source country."

Mr Nasir said the Bali process was the mechanism in the region to discuss asylum seekers.

"So if we want to have a sustainable solution we have to go beyond our own self interest," he said.

One of the police officers who assisted the 16 male asylum seekers off their boat, Farah, at Tablolong beach told Fairfax Media they could have died if no one had found them.

"They were in OK condition, they were given enough food and plenty of water, but they ran out of fuel. They could've died if they sunk or if no one found them," he said.

The asylum seekers, who are from India, Nepal and Bangladesh, say they reached Christmas Island but were turned back by the Royal Australian Navy after being detained for five days.

Bangladeshi man Muhammad Anwar, 22, told Fairfax Media their vessel was leaking water so they were transferred to another boat.

"I don't know about Australia turning back boats before. The agent said Australia is good now, they take immigrants now."

Mr Anwar said he paid a people smuggling agent $USD5000 ($AUD6890) to take him to Australia.

"In my country there are many problems, everything is expensive, wages low, many killings. All I want in Australia is to make a living, and they didn't help," Mr Anwar said.

The Director-General for Multilateral Affairs at Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hasan Kleib, said there was a principle of protection at sea and a code of disembarkation at a safe place.

"So this is what we would like to see as well when they are already in the middle of high seas with the unseaworthy boat… It must be better to disembark at a safety place and then deal with them (the asylum seekers) afterwards."

However he said he did not wish this incident to become a stumbling block for co-operation between the two countries. 

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton and opposition spokesman Richard Marles refused to comment

Green senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the Turnbull government has "serious questions" to answer if the boat was allowed to run out of fuel before washing up in Indonesia.   

Quote:


That could have happened on the way to Australia.

Bit more than hypocritical of Indonesia to try to generate political capital out of Australia pushing off a boat - considering that they provide little to no assistance to refugees but can afford Su-35s, and actively discourage refugees from staying on Indo soil.

However, they have a point in that once 'pushed off' the passengers and crew of this boat were at the mercy of the elements and could have added to the toll, and they were not permitted to make a legitimate claim for asylum by 'landing' on soil of the country from which they are seeking it.

I still argue that contact with a ship of a sovereign nation at sea being hailed and advised of the intention to seek asylum IS soil of the country from which asylum is being sought, and that the request is being made to an appropriate officer of that country.

Surely there are plenty of ghost towns out West by now with the Mining Collapse - that would serve as way stations for applicants, who could be gainfully employed on breakin' rocks in da hot sun, building roads and infrastructure etc, while receiving training in training camels etc.

Since 2013 - there's been one or at best 2 boats

Under Labor/Greens 55,000+ illegals and hundreds died

philperth2010 wrote on Nov 28^th, 2015 at 1:26pm:


Have you tried entering Indonesia without a VISA?

When these people entered Indonesia it looks like they had a VISA i.e. Indonesia accepted them i.e. they are LEGAL in Indonesia

Even if they entered Indonesia ILLEGALLY then Indonesia need to deal with this illegal act. So all Australia is doing is bring them back to face Indonesian official.

Does Indonesia care? It does not matter!! It's their problem first

Maqqa wrote on Nov 28^th, 2015 at 1:39pm:


You do not understand the refugee convention that allows refugees to seek a safe haven that will process their asylum claims...Indonesia has not signed the convention and has no obligation to assess their claims unlike Australia....Refugees did not make the rules but are being punished because Australia refuses to honour our commitment...Place the blame where it belongs, with Australia's double standards and exploitation of innocent people for domestic political gain...If we removed our name from the refugee convention asylum seekers would not be in Indonesia trying to get here....We created this problem not Indonesia!!!

philperth2010 wrote on Nov 28^th, 2015 at 1:48pm:


Which part in particular are you referring to?

The highlighted comment shows you don't understand it.

They don't have the obligation to process the claim - IF the claim was lodged in Indonesia

You've conveniently chose to ignore the fact they entered Indonesia with a VISA. Lets ignore that important fact shall we

Or is it because you don't understand

greggerypeccary wrote on Nov 28^th, 2015 at 1:56pm:


My bad he caught me - only 1 confirmed boat

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-25/log-of-boat-arrivals-and-other-asylum-seek...