AFP – Defeated Sri Lankan candidate denies seeking asylum
Defeated Sri Lankan presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka denied on Saturday he was seeking political asylum abroad, but said several countries had asked Colombo to stop harassing him.
Xinhua – Sri Lanka opposition appoints panel to probe election result
SMH – Deported over mercy mission
The Age – Indonesia deports refugee activists
Big Pond – Deported refugee activists seek an end
Media Release – Canadian Humanitarian Appeal for Relief of Tamils (Canadian HART)
January 29th, 2010 – For Immediate Release -MEDIA ADVISORY
Canadian Student Arrives Home After Being Detained in Indonesia
(Toronto, Canada) – Canadian student, Jessica Chandrashekar, University of Toronto Alumni and PhD student from York University arrives home after being detained in Indonesia for supporting Tamil refugees marooned on a boat of the coast of Indonesia at the behest of the Australian government. Friends and family of Jessica will welcome her home on Saturday January 30th, 2010 at 12:30pm at Terminal 3 of Pearson International Airport. Jessica will be speaking to the media about her confinement.
During her three days of detention her passport was confiscated and she was asked to sign a document that was in Bahasa Indonesia. Jessica was warned against speaking out to the media. Jessica was in Indonesia meeting with senior officials of the Indonesian foreign ministry to arrange humanitarian supplies for the 254 Tamil boat refugees.
“I am really looking forward to being back home in Canada. I can’t believe I was arrested for doing humanitarian work. But what is worse is the treatment of these refugees who are stuck without food, water or safety on a boat.” said Jessica Chandrashekar in a statement.
The asylum seekers, who have been living on a boat for over 100 days, are under threat of deportation back to Sri Lanka. One asylum seeker has died from having been denied medical care. Another person is in need of immediate medical attention for injuries sustained during the war. There are 31 children on the boat and one pregnant woman. All of the asylum seekers are suffering from lack of food and medicine and the denial of medical attention.
The boat Australia bound was intercepted by Indonesian Navy upon Australia’s request. Australia, as a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, has a responsibility to protect these refugees. Human rights advocates around the world are condemning Australia and Indonesia for stalling the refugee boat for the past four months.
Experts on the war in Sri Lanka, international refugee agreements as well as family members of the some of the refugees will be available for interviews.
For more information contact Canadian HART at (647) 836-6858.
Through community outreach and media campaigns, Canadian HART seeks to raise awareness about the human rights abuses against the Tamil minority population in Sri Lanka. Working in collaboration with labour unions, student groups, faith-based organizations and community organizations, Canadian HART aims to draw Canadian and international attention to the situation of Tamils in Sri Lanka and to push for an international presence and monitoring of the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka.
Human Rights Watch (29/01) – Sri Lanka: End Harassment, Attacks on Journalists
The Sri Lankan government should immediately end its post-election harassment of media outlets and ensure protection of journalists from attack, Human Rights Watch said today.
SMH – Sri Lanka ‘expels Swiss reporter’
Swiss Info – Swiss journalist told to leave Sri Lank
The Straits Times – Sri Lanka expels Swiss reporter
SRI Lankan authorities have withdrawn the visa granted to a Swiss reporter covering the island’s fiercely fought presidential vote and asked her to leave the country within 48 hours.
Sify – Anti-government newspaper shuttered in Sri Lanka
Times of India – Police seal office of ‘Lanka‘ newspaper
ABC -Australian refugee activists deported
Two Australian human rights advocates who were detained and deported from Indonesia have arrived back in Sydney.
Sara Nathan and Pamela Curr travelled to Indonesia to raise awareness of the plights of 240 Sri Lankan Tamils, stranded on a boat at Merak in western Java for more than three months.
The Tamils will not leave the boat because they want to be settled in Australia.
The Indonesian Immigration Department claims Ms Nathan and Ms Curr violated their visas by entering the restricted area around the vessel.
But Ms Nathan says she and Ms Curr were deported so the Indonesian officials could make an example of them.
Ms Nathan says Australia has abandoned its commitment to refugees.
“The Australian Government should take responsibility because these people had no intention of going to Indonesia,” she said.
“They left Malaysia to come to Australia. They were 140 nautical miles away from Australia. Australia signed the UN convention in relation to refugees – we need to stick by that obligation.”
The Refugee Action Coalition says the Indonesian Government confiscated their passports, and held them in a hotel after two rounds of questioning.
The women deny entering the restricted area and say they were in the public area at the port.
The Refugee Action Coalition’s Ian Rintoul says he believes the Indonesian Government is trying to suppress information about the boat.
“Our concern is that the measures that have been taken against them really seem to be about trying to prevent the realities of the situation of the boat at Merak becoming public,” he said.
Herald Sun – Deported refugee advocate swears off Indonesia
AN Australian refugee advocate says she will never return to Indonesia after authorities there accused her of being married to a people smuggler before deporting her for alleged visa violations.
The Jakarta Post – Australian, Canadian activists freed without charge
Indonesian Police released without charge Thursday three refugee activists – two Australians and one Canadian national – who were detained in Merak, Banten, on suspicion of human trafficking.
The activists were detained when they attempted to visit a group of more than 240 Tamil asylum seekers who have been stranded on a boat at Indah Kiat Port in Merak for the past three months.
The two Australians are Tamil community activist, Sara Nathan, and Pamela Curr (not Pamela Poor as printed on this page on Thursday’s edition) from the Asylum Seeker Resource Center. The Canadian, Jessica Chandrashekar is from a humanitarian organization called the Canadian Humanitarian Appeal for Relief of Tamils.
All three are now in a hotel in Jakarta and will leave Indonesia on Friday.
Ian Rintoul, a spokesperson for the Australian refugee lobby group, the Refugee Action Coalition, said
the trio were questioned for 11 hours on Tuesday and five hours on Wednesday.
“They didn’t say they were mistreated, but they were subject to some pretty intense questioning,” Rintoul said.
He added that police allegations the trio were involved in human trafficking were “complete nonsense”.
“The police tried to make a case that ‘Nathan’ is the name of a known people smuggler associated with the boat at Merak,” Rintoul said.
“But ‘Nathan’ isn’t even Sara’s real name, it’s a shortened version of her family name, ‘Ramanathan’.”
National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi told reporters Wednesday that police had preliminary evidence suggesting the foreigners were involved in human trafficking.
This evidence may have included some Australian humanitarian visa application forms, which Nathan allegedly gave to some of the Tamil refugees in late December, 2009.
“A lot of the questioning revolved around some forms she distributed to people on the boat at Merak,” Rintoul said.
“When Sara and the others were taken to the police station, [the police] had several forms, which they had confiscated from Tamils on the boat.”
Contrary to earlier media reports, the activists were not arrested, but were held for questioning, according to Rintoul. He said the activists were in the country to meet with a number of government officials about trying to arrange humanitarian supplies for the people on the boat.
“They’re in good spirits, but a bit anxious because they didn’t think they had done anything wrong,” Rintoul said.
The writer is an intern with The Jakarta Post.
New York Times – Sri Lanka Police Arrest Staff of Election’s Loser
New York Times (blog) – Sri Lankan Police Raid Defeated Opposition Candidate’s Office
Hindustan Times – Fonseka’s office raided, Swiss reporter deported
The Age – Fraud allegations taint Sri Lankan election
The Copenhagen Post – Per Stig Møller urges reconciliation and respect for Tamil minority after …
Media Release – Refugee Activists Deported from Indonesia Arrive in Australia, Saturday 30 January
URGENT ACTION NEEDED FROM AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION OF MERAK ASYLUM SEEKERS
Two Australian refugee activists detained and questioned by Indonesian police in Merak have been deported by Indonesian immigration authorities, will arrive in Australia on Saturday morning (30 January).
Tamil community activist, Sara Nathan, will arrive at Sydney international airport at 7.40am Saturday, 30 January. She will be available for media comment after her arrival at the international airport.
Their deportation follows claims that they violated the conditions of their visas by being in the restricted area around the boat of Tamil asylum seekers at Merak. Under conditions placed on the return of their passports they were not allowed to make comments to the media. They are also barred from returning to Indonesia for six months.
Australian consular officials and Indonesian legal aid representatives provided support at their interview with the Indonesian chief minister
immigration on Thursday afternoon, Indonesian time.
“Claims by the immigration authorities that we entered the restricted area at the boat are completely untrue. We were in the public area beyond the
boundary of the port.
“The claims that I was associated with people smuggling are also completely baseless.
At first I was meant to be associated with “Nathan” the people smuggler (part of my maiden surname is Nathan but my married name is NOT Nathan), by
distributing Australian humanitarian visa forms – something that was actually suggested by Australian DFAT.
Later the claims changed to being in the restricted area around the boat.
“We were in Indonesia because of our concern for the welfare and the future of the asylum seekers on the boat at Merak. That remains our central concern,” said Sara Nathan, on her arrival at Sydney airport.
“Being detained and deported won’t hide the injustice of leaving the people on the boat for three months without proper support. The deportation will
not stop us campaigning against the Indonesian solution or for justice for the people at Merak.
“If Kevin Rudd had not called on the Indonesian government to intercept the boat to Merak, none of this would have happened. The Australian government urgently needs to play a role in resolving the situation it created.
“The Indonesian government has placed a complete ban on access to the boat by welfare groups, NGOs and journalists. That ban should be lifted. We have
suggested a way forward for the immigration verification of the asylum seekers and processing by the UNHCR,” Nathan said.
“Such processing would pave the way for Australia to play a role in the re-settlement of those found to be refugees. There is an urgent need for the Australian government to provide the assistance that Indonesia needs to guarantee the safety and future of the asylum seekers.
“News that Sri Lankan opposition leader, Sarath Fonseka, himself accused of war crimes in his role as leader of the army, may ask Australia for asylum is testament to the dangers that any opponents of the Sri Lankan government face. Just like those fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan, Tamils are fleeing human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.
“Australia, as a signatory to the Refugee Convention, should live up to its obligations and welcome those fleeing persecution – including those at Merak.”
For further information and media comment contact Sara Nathan 0412 236 703 or Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713
Availability for Comment : Australia – A Sanctuary for War Criminals?
“Suggestions that the man who led the Sri Lankan army in rounding up and unlawfully imprisoning 300,000 men, women and children may seek asylum in Australia is an outrage”
Dr Sam Pari – Spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress (ATC)
In response to reports that former Sri Lankan army Chief Sareth Fonseka is considering seeking temporary asylum in Australia, Australian Tamil Congress Spokesperson, Dr Sam Pari stated “It is inconceivable to think the Australian Government would even consider such a request given General Fonseka’s alleged involvement in war crimes during Sri Lanka’s civil conflict.
“For Sareth Fonseka to even make the suggestion shows his incredible arrogance and contempt for the values and freedoms we have in Australia.
“Australia and her citizens should be protected from suspected war criminals including Sareth Fonseka and Palitha Kohona – the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United Nations and dual Australian citizen”, said Dr Pari
ENDS
Dr Sam Pari is available for interview on this topic Ph: 0433 428 967
ABC – Beaten Sri Lankan general considers asylum in Australia
The Australian – asylum bid for Colombo general
Hindustan Times – Now, Fonseka to fight for parliament
PR Refugee Action Coalition – Mass Tamil Asylum Seeker Protest Hits Christmas Island
In scenes reminiscent of the early protests that rocked Woomera, Port Hedland and Baxter, under the Howard government, a mass protest by Tamil detainees at Christmas Island began at 4.30pm Christmas Island time, on Thursday, 27 January.
The protest is supported by all the Tamils detainees but, “We are hopeful that the Kurdish, Iranians and Arabs people will join us,” a Christmas Island detainee told the Refugee Action Coalition.
At 4.30 around 60 asylum seekers began marching around the path inside the detention with placards saying, “How Long Do we have to wait’, “Oceanic Viking 6 weeks, Christmas Island 6 months”, and “Protection Not Detention.”
The protest coincides wit h the visit to the island by Senator Fielding and Opposition spokesperson on immigration, Scott Morrison.
“People are sick and tired of waiting so long for their the applications to be processed. There are scores of Tamils now who have been waiting for six months and much longer. The government has no explanation for why Tamil asylum seekers are having to wait so long. As their placard says, processing on the Oceanic Viking was done in six weeks, ” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
“They are also angry at the people being charged for last year’s so-called riot and being put into the Red Compound management units.
“Australian of the year, Professor Patrick McGorry, was right when he called detention centres ‘factories for mental illness’ Perhaps Julia Gillard and Chris Evans will face up to the fact that Christmas Island is just as much a mental illness factory as Woomera or Baxter.
“There is no adequate torture and trauma counseling available and medication of the detainees is increasing. A government with a humane policy towards asylum seekers would close Christmas Island,” said Ian Rintoul.
There will be more protests in the days ahead. The detainees said they will maintain their protest “until we get answers.”
The protest also comes after detainees were told that under a new rule, management would no longer allow detainees to have mobile phones. Detainees in mainland detention centres are allowed to have mobile phones, and Christmas Island detainees have been allowed to have phones for months.
Meanwhile, it is expected that the two Australian refugee activists detained by Indonesian immigration authorities will return to Australian on Saturday morning. Tamil community activist, Sara Nathan will arrive in Sydney (Flight QF 042) at 7.40am. She will be available for media comment/interview at the airport.
For more information contact Refugee Action Coalition Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713
Human Rights Watch – Sri Lanka: President’s New Term Time for Accountability
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and key international actors should take steps to bring accountability for Sri Lanka’s grave human rights violations so that the thousands of victims will not continue to be denied justice during President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second term, Human Rights Watch said today. More
