Intercepting boats of asylum seekers :
Aussie MP commends Sri Lanka Navy
by Manjula FERNANDO
Australian parliamentarian Don Randall has commended the role played
by the Sri Lanka Navy to intercept boats carrying prospective illegal
immigrants to Australia. Following a recent trip to Sri Lanka, he has
written in his personal blog, “The Sri Lankan Navy is doing an
outstanding job of returning these boats to where they depart from and
we should expect similar assistance from Indonesia,” echoing what he
said in a statement to Parliament.
He has also written that he was astounded to hear that the Sri Lankan
migrants were in fact not fleeing persecution or threat of violence but
‘were keen to attain higher paying jobs’ in his ‘lucky country’.
“I spoke to dozens of attempted asylum seekers who spoke very frankly
with me about their circumstances and reasons for travelling to
Australia,” he wrote adding that following those one-on-one meetings he
was left in no doubt that those attempting to make the dangerous journey
to Australia were not genuine asylum seekers but in fact economic
refugees.
Randall, Member for Canning, has blamed the state’s current weak
migration policies for the continued flow of boat people to his country.
“I admire and love Sri Lanka and the beauty of both the country and
the people that make it such a special place. I also understand why Sri
Lankans would try and take advantage of our current weak migration
policies and forge a better life for themselves and their families in
Australia”.
But he had emphasised that ‘Australia’s asylum seeker program is
designed to provide refuge for the most vulnerable, the most persecuted,
the most alienated and defenceless refugees across the world.’
Randall, Member for Canning, has blamed the state’s current weak
migration policies for the continued flow of boat people to his country.
“I admire and love Sri Lanka and the beauty of both the country and the
people that make it such a special place. I also understand why Sri
Lankans would try and take advantage of our current weak migration
policies and forge a better life for themselves and their families in
Australia”.
But he had emphasised that ‘Australia’s asylum seeker program is
designed to provide refuge for the most vulnerable, the most persecuted,
the most alienated and defenceless refugees across the world.’ He has
criticised the ‘broken system’ that offers limited placements for those
arriving after paying several thousands of dollars to people smugglers
but denies assistance to those ‘desperately’ in need.
According to him last weekend alone, there had been 500 arrivals of
people by boat. This Monday, four boats had arrived carrying over 300
people. Since announcing the reopening of Nauru processing centre, just
two months ago, 70 boats have arrived carrying over 4,600 people. He
said that since Labour won the 2007 election, there had been 27,192
arrivals. The Australian MP has called on the Government to ‘implement
the full suite of policies that were so effective under the Howard
government’ to curb illegal migration to Australia. |