Rudd only wants to bring these boat people into Oz behind the scenes. Ain't that right, Comrade Rudd?
Posted on 10/18/2009 1:10:13 AM PDT by myknowledge
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is expected to discuss Australia's policy on asylum seekers with Indonesian officials when he visits Jakarta on Tuesday.
Mr Rudd is making the trip to attend the inauguration of the Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The Opposition has criticised Mr Rudd's decision to ask Indonesian authorities to stop a boatload of Sri Lankans reaching Australia last week.
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard has told Channel Nine that Australia and Indonesia are cooperating well on people smuggling.
"I don't want to give the impression that somehow nothing is happening now.
"There is very close cooperation with Indonesia which has meant we have been able to disrupt some people smuggling activity.
"It has meant that our Australian Federal Police have been able to charge more than 40 people with people smuggling."
Early today, an Australian Navy patrol boat intercepted a boat between Christmas Island and Indonesia.
The boat sent out a distress signal on Saturday and HMAS Armidale, which was in the area conducting surveillance, responded to the call.
It intercepted the vessel in Indonesia's search and rescue area about 296 nautical miles north-west of Christmas Island.
There were reports that two boats carrying 270 people in total had struck trouble in Indonesian and Malaysian waters. A second boat in Malaysian waters has also sent out a distress signal.
Navy personnel have checked those on board the intercepted boat, and Border Protection says the passengers are safe and do not require medical assistance.
Hunger strike ends
Meanwhile, Indonesian authorities are still negotiating with 255 Sri Lankan asylum seekers who refuse to leave a wooden boat moored in Western Java.
The group on the boat consists of 254 Sri Lankan men, women and children and one Burmese man who is understood to have joined the others in Malaysia.
Six Indonesian crew members, including one who is on a people smuggling wanted list, have been moved to a local police station.
The media were today denied access to Merak Port where the boat is moored.
The Sri Lankans ended a two-day hunger strike last night.
They are now demanding to see a representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to tell them what to do next and how long it will take to process their asylum claims if they agree to come ashore.
Rudd only wants to bring these boat people into Oz behind the scenes. Ain't that right, Comrade Rudd?
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