Indonesia, Laos : Transit hubs for illegal immigrants

by Manjula Fernando

Indonesia and Laos too serve as transit hubs in addition to Thailand, for illegal immigrants and fleeing LTTE members heading West or Down Under, informed sources told the Sunday Observer.

The sources said these human cargo ships set sail from the Gulf of Thailand with the would be asylum seekers are given accommodation in these countries in preparation for the deadly voyage by the local operatives.

In a coordinated operation the Thai law enforcing authorities arrested 155 would be migrants, all Sri Lankan Tamils, recently and they are still in detention. Initially the reports indicated that the group, some of whom the visas had expired, was going to be deported to Sri Lanka but the LTTE front organisations through human rights groups are mounting pressure on Thai authorities to release the detainees, the sources saidThe key operatives of these human smuggling ventures, LTTE international operatives, are reported to be based in the UK, France and Canada. An LTTE leader identified as Shanmugasundaram Kanthaskaran alias one legged Shankar who is a British citizen has allegedly moved to France because he was under investigation for collecting millions of dollars from the illegal immigrants.

The sources said despite the failed mission to Canada another ship may set sail shortly since the LTTE human smugglers were under tremendous pressure from the people whom have paid handsome amounts for their journey. Many of the detained Tamils in Thailand have paid part of their fares for the sea passage.