ABC AUSTRALIA, Mon, 10 Nov 2003 16:09
Indonesia to move asylum seekers to Ambon
Indonesian police say a boatload of suspected asylum seekers who landed in an
eastern Indonesian island after being controversially turned back by the Australian
Navy will be transferred to another island for immigration processing.
"They are currently under our custody but will be sent to Ambon by sea tomorrow,"
Ahmad Yani said, the police chief in Saumlaki town on Yamdena island.
He said the 14 men, suspected to be Kurds from Turkey, were reported by local
residents to have landed on Saturday and police took them to Saumlaki for
questioning.
Mr Yani said police are also seeking two or three other people who had been on the
"Minasa Bone" - believed to be the Indonesian crew.
"We do not have an immigration office here and therefore they will be sent to the
provincial police headquarters in Ambon where the police will be able to liaise with the
immigration office there," he said.
He declined to say whether the 14 had sought asylum in Indonesia, adding that there
are language difficulties in communicating with them.
Mr Yani said representatives of the International Organisation for Migration are already
assisting the 14 men, who are under police custody at a local inn.
"Their wooden boat is not at all seaworthy for long sea journeys and they say the
Australian Navy had disabled one of its two engines," Mr Yani said.
The boat had sailed into a storm of controversy when it arrived at Melville Island near
Darwin last Tuesday.
It was boarded by Australian Defence Force personnel and its engine was disabled
under a tough immigration policy adopted in 2001.
The Government invoked extraordinary powers to remove Melville Island from
Australia's migration zone, effectively making it impossible for the Kurds to apply for
asylum.
The move drew strong criticism from the United Nations, refugee groups and
opposition politicians.
Immigration Minister Senator Amanda Vanstone said that following talks with Jakarta
officials, the boat was escorted to the edge of Indonesian waters before making its
own way to Yamdena.
The 12-metre Minasa Bone was only the second vessel to reach Australian territory
since the 2001 crackdown.
-- AFP
ABC Radio Australia News
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
