Paras Indonesia, March, 24 2006 @ 05:13 am
Indonesia Condemns Australian Visas For Papuan Asylum
Seekers
By: Roy Tupai
Indonesia has strongly criticized the Australian government's decision to grant
temporary protection visas to 42 asylum seekers from strife-torn Papua province,
warning the move could harm bilateral relations.
Australian Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone on Thursday (23/3/06) announced
that 42 of 43 Papuans who arrived at Australia's Cape York on January 18 after five
days at sea have received the visas and would be relocated from Christmas Island to
Melbourne. The remaining claim is still being processed.
The Papuans had accused the Indonesian military of attempted genocide and said
they feared they would be killed if they were sent home.
Indonesian authorities had strongly denied the Papuans would face any repercussions
if repatriated. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had even personally assured
Australian Prime Minister John Howard that no harm would come to them.
A statement by the Foreign Affairs Ministry said Indonesia was disappointed by
Australia's decision and warned of negative repercussions. Following is the text of the
seven-point statement:
Indonesia deplores the decision of the Australian DIMA to grant temporary
visas to 42 Indonesian asylum seekers from Papua Province.
23 Mar 2006 23:10
1. The Government of Indonesia is surprised, disappointed and deeply deploring the
decision by the Australia's Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA)
which on 23rd March 2006 granted temporary visas to 42 out 43 Indonesian asylum
seekers from Papua Province.
2. On numerous occasions, the Indonesian Government at the highest level has made
it absolutely clear that none of these self styled "asylum seekers" in question are
being sought by the Indonesian authority for any reason whatsoever, nor are they
being subjected to any persecution in Indonesia. Indeed, the Indonesian Government
guaranteed their safety if they wish to return back to Indonesia. The decision by DIMA
is therefore baseless and without legal merit.
3. Indonesian Government is of the view that the 43 persons are no more than
economic migrants who seek to find a better life. Indonesia also regretted that the
false claim being made by those asylum seekers has been accepted as the legal
basis for DIMA to provide them with temporary visas.
4. It is our view that the decision to grant the 42 persons temporary visas sets a
precedent which may be counter-productive, and does not account for the sensitivity
of Indonesians to this issue. It is also unhelpful to Indonesia's serious and sincere
efforts to find a solution to the problems in Papua through dialogue. The decision
justifies speculations that there are elements in Australia that support separatist
movement in Papua, and in this regard the Government of Australia has not done
anything to them.
5. The Government of Indonesia can not but detect the application of a double
standard in this respect because in many other recent cases of asylum seeking, the
Government of Australia has vigorously rejected them. Such a practice stands in stark
contrast to the hasty accommodation given to the 42 Indonesian asylum seekers from
Papua Province.
6. This decision negated the spirit of bilateral cooperation in particular to counter
illegal migrants which both side have painstakingly fostered in the past several years.
This inconsistency will only weaken the commitment of the parties on this important
issue.
7. The Department of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia summoned the Ambassador of
Australia in Jakarta on Thursday afternoon, 23 March 2006, to lodge a formal protest
on the DIMA decision and convey Indonesia's disappointment.
[ends]
Parliament's Commission I on foreign affairs also condemned the Australian decision
as an unfriendly act and urged the government to protest. "This is an unfriendly
gesture by the Australian government," said Djoko Susilo of the National Mandate
Party.
"We question the decision to grant visas and political asylum at a time when the
security situation in Papua province is tense," legislator Effendy Mara Sakti of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) was quoted as saying by state news
agency Antara.
Fellow Commission I member Yudy Chrisnandy of Golkar Party said the granting of
political asylum was unethical and could disturb relations between the two countries.
In Australia, Vanstone's office issued a brief statement that said "decisions on visa
claims are made by individual decision-makers in my department, in accordance with
international legal obligations and Australian domestic law and on the basis of claims
made by individual applicants".
She said a decision was yet to be made on a visa application from the remaining
member of the group, as there are "further case-specific issues to be pursued". She
did not elaborate.
The temporary protection visa lasts for three years and is renewable.
The Australian media said the decision to grant the visas showed that Australia
recognized there are serious human rights abuses and a well-founded fear of
persecution.
Howard has so not yet commented publicly on the issue but is said to be
disappointed by the potential blow to relations with Indonesia.
There are concerns the issue could prompt Indonesia to reconsider a planned new
security pact with Australia.
Herman Wainggai, the leader of the Papuan asylum seekers, issued a statement
thanking the Australian government and people for a "fair and just decision".
"We were threatened in an extremely dangerous position. We trust that the
Indonesians will act with maturity and see that the situation in West Papua is very
serious and one that must be dealt with peacefully," he said.
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