ABC – Rudd attacked over Indonesia detention ‘chaos’

The Greens say it is unacceptable that women and children from the Oceanic Viking are being held behind bars.

Some of the Sri Lankan women say they have been locked up in a facility next to the Tanjung Pinang detention centre, which they say is like a jail.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans says the building has suitable facilities.

But Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says they should not be in any form of detention.

“They may not be in the official detention centre but they are still being detained,” she said. More

Canberra Times – PM insists refugees had no special deal

The Federal Government and Opposition have continued to slug it out in Parliament over the controversial offer made to induce 78 Tamil asylum-seekers to leave the Australian Customs vessel Oceanic Viking. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd continued his denials yesterday that the group had been given preferential treatment, despite the timetable for assessing their refugee claims being much faster than that faced by other asylum-seekers in Indonesia or on Christmas Island.

The last of the 78 asylum-seekers left the Oceanic Viking on Wednesday and were transported to the Tanjung Pinang immigration detention centre on Bintan Island after more than a month aboard the Australian vessel. Mr Rudd has repeatedly denied knowledge of the details of the offer before it was put to the asylum- seekers, despite members of his staff being present at the cabinet committee meeting that authorised the deal and the distribution of the committee’s minutes to his office.

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull, who attempted to censure Mr Rudd in question time yesterday, ridiculed Mr Rudd’s denials that the asylum-seekers had been offered a special deal and his claims to have known nothing of the ”fast-track access policy” before the offer was made. Mr Turnbull said the deal had ”no counterpart” and had been considered by cabinet’s Border Protection Committee precisely because it was a special deal. ”Now the Prime Minister says, of course, that he doesn’t know anything about that and that his staff didn’t advise him about this deal,” Mr Turnbull said. ”The one thing that is beyond question is that the Prime Minister’s claim that there was no special deal has been comprehensively, universally disbelieved.

”We’ve seen the most extraordinary spectacle of a prime minister looking the Australian people in the eye and unblinkingly saying black is white.” Mr Rudd said the Coalition was attempting to ”whip up a fear campaign” about asylum-seekers and border protection. ”Our policy on border protection is clear, and we’ll continue to implement it in the future,” Mr Rudd said. Meanwhile, the Papua New Guinea Government has canvassed a revival of the ”Pacific solution” as a remedy for Mr Rudd’s difficulties on the asylum-seeker issue. Papua New Guinea Foreign Affairs

Minister Sam Abal said yesterday that his Government was open to the idea of reopening the Manus Island immigration detention centre which the former Howard government used for offshore detention of asylum- seekers. ”If there is a request from Australia, our Government will consider it,” Mr Abal said. Both Papua New Guinea and Nauru received generous aid packages from the former Howard government in exchange for hosting offshore immigration detention and processing centres.

The Australian – PM’s ’special deal’ leaves kids in lock-up

SMH – Mothers and infants behind detention centre bars

ABC – Tamil women, children behind bars in Indonesia

ABC – Rudd attacked over Indonesia detention ‘chaos’

Radio Australia – Oceanic Viking leaves Indonesia after four week stalemate

This was raised in the Federal Parliament yesterday (18/11). 

Transcript has been taken from Hansard. 

Senator HANSON-YOUNG (2.18 pm)—My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. Given the boat currently holding 255 Sri Lankans in Merak were intercepted by Indonesia at Australia’s request, and we now hear that, without any assessment of these people’s claims by the UNHCR, Indonesia is looking to deport these people back to Sri Lanka, what assurances, if any, did the Australian government delegation seek or receive during the visit to Sri Lanka last week that asylum seekers sent back to Sri Lanka would be kept safe and not subject to any form of persecution from the government of Sri Lanka?

Senator CHRIS EVANS—It is true that we cooperated with Indonesia and encouraged them to intercept the vessel that is now docked at Merak. And, as I understand it, the 250 or so people who are on board are still refusing to disembark. But that is a matter that is in the hands of the Indonesian authorities. There are no Australian authorities involved in that process. I understand that the IOM has been involved, but that involvement may have ceased. There has been, as I understand it, some trouble on the boat, and some disagreement. I think that actually reached some level of violence the other day, but they have been there for a long time. The Indonesian government’s position, as I understand it, is that they will be processed once they disembark the vessel. That is obviously in their hands. I do not have any particular assurances as to how those people will be treated, because we have not been engaged actively in the handling of those persons on that boat in Merak.

What I can say to you, though, is that the press reports about them threatening to deport these people without proper refugee assessment beforehand are just that—claims in the press. I would point out to you that, to my knowledge, the Indonesians have not in the past sought to deport people before they have had asylum claims considered. All I can tell you is that the experience we have had with the Indonesians is that they have made safe places available for people inside Indonesia, they have allowed UNHCR and IOM access to those persons and they have allowed people who are seeking asylum to lodge claims with the UNHCR. So, while I have seen the press reports, as you have, I have no basis for— (Time expired)

Senator HANSON-YOUNG—Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for his answer. Given that the people onboard the Oceanic Viking will now be detained in Indonesian detention centres, how can Australia knowingly now allow children to be locked behind bars? Does the government believe that this is appropriate?

Senator CHRIS EVANS—To be frank, Senator, you have just made another leap with, as I understand it, no basis for those claims. Do you know that children in Merak are about to be detained in detention centres? Because I certainly do not.

Senator Hanson-Young—On a point of order, Mr President: I referenced the Oceanic Viking.

Senator CHRIS EVANS—Mr President, I would like you to take on notice some consideration of supplementaries that refer to different subjects. That is why I got confused. If the question is about the Oceanic Viking, the Indonesian authorities have stated publicly that they will be making accommodation arrangements for women and children in accordance with their normal policy which seeks to provide appropriate accommodation for them. At the moment, the small number of women and children on the vessel have not disembarked, but we have advised the Indonesians of our views on those matters. We have always advocated that children should not be held in detention centres. Clearly, this is a matter for the Indonesian government—

(Time expired)

Senator HANSON-YOUNG—Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. The reports from the Indonesian government themselves suggest that they would not be accommodating refugees or asylum seekers who disembarked from the Oceanic Viking in any detention facilities other than the detention centres.

Therefore, does the Australian government believe it is appropriate that children be detained in this manner?

Senator CHRIS EVANS—My advice is that women and children, when they disembark the Oceanic Viking, will be accommodated in appropriate accommodation. That is our understanding. I would envisage that to be a separate facility from the Tanjung

Pinang detention centre, but this is obviously a matter for the Indonesian government. Our view is that they would be best housed elsewhere, and it is my understanding that the Indonesian government will make appropriate accommodation arrangements. about those arrangements.

Attached is a transcript of a press conference given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Stephen Smith

091108 Transcript – Smith – Press Conference – Sri Lanka, People Smuggling.pdf

Reuters – Australia urges Sri Lanka reforms, reconciliation

Australia on Sunday urged Sri Lanka, having defeated the Tamil Tigers in May, to now embrace political reform and reconciliation to stem the flow of asylum seekers leaving the country.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith will meet his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama in Colombo on Monday amid a standoff in Indonesia involving 78 Tamil asylum seekers, who are refusing to leave an Australian vessel that rescued them last month. More

Western Australian Today – Greens challenge Smith on Tamil camps

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith should push the Sri Lankan government to allow aid agencies access to Tamil camps, the Australian Greens say.

Mr Smith is heading to Colombo for talks that aim to stem an exodus of Tamils from Sri Lanka.

The visit comes as a group of 78 Sri Lankans refuse to leave the Australian Customs vessel Oceanic Viking moored in Indonesian waters.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young is concerned international aid organisations are not able access Tamil camps.

“The first basic step we should be doing is working with the Sri Lankan government to say look guys, we’re going to have to let some organisations in here to help deal with this,” she told ABC Television on Monday. More

Didn’t we vote the Howard Government out?