SL and Australia set up unit to check people smuggling and transnational crime :

Visible links to terrorism by human smugglers -Australian FM Sen. Bob Carr

By Ranil Wijayapala

The visit of the Australian Foreign Minister, Senator Bob Carr, at a time Sri Lanka and Australia engaged in the massive task of controlling hundreds of boat people reaching Australia as illegal immigrants, provided a good forum for the two stakeholders to sit and discuss the matter at length, while laying a strong foundation to continue the relationship between the two countries as friendly nations in the future, Sri Lanka High Commissioner in Australia, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe said.

Admiral Samarasinghe who was directly engaged in bilateral talks between the two countries during the Australian Foreign Minister’s three day visit, in an interview with the Sunday Observer said the Australian Foreign Minister’s visit and the inauguration of the Joint Working Group on People Smuggling and Transnational Crime will help the two countries to positively engage in the issue of illegal immigrants to Australia.

He said the main purpose of the Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr’s visit to Sri Lanka was to thank the Sri Lankan government for the efforts it has taken in support of the Australian government to tackle a major national issue affecting Australia due to illegal boat arrivals.

The High Commissioner said although Sri Lanka is highlighted in the media on boat arrival issues in Australia it is not restricted to Sri Lankans.

“Actually Sri Lankans represented about 10 to 15 percent at the beginning but in the recent past the numbers have increased. However, due to this situation, on the suggestion of our External Affairs ministry on my recommendation, proposed a joint mechanism to share all stakeholders of both the Sri Lankan and Australian government to meet and sit down in a forum and discuss the issue”, he added.

As a result of this initiative both governments agreed to establish a joint working group titled Joint Working Group on People Smuggling and Transnational Crime which covers areas of border protection, law enforcement and sharing intelligence on the issues.

“We proposed the Secretary, Ministry of Defence Sri Lanka and the Secretary, Ministry of Immigration and Citizenship from Australia to co-chair the joint working group”, he said.

Officials from the Attorney General’s Department, Border Protection and Customs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Australian Federal Police, Australian National Intelligence represented Australia while Sri Lanka was represented by the Ministry of Justice, Criminal Investigation Department, and Customs Department.

‘To inaugurate the Joint Working Group External Affairs Minister Prof G.L. Peiris invited Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr who accepted the invitation’ the High Commissioner said.

It was led by Martin Bowles Secretary to the Ministry of Immigration and Citizenship, Australia while Sri Lanka was led first by Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and continued by External Affairs Secretary Karunathilaka Amunugama, Secretary to the Ministry of Justice Ms. Kamalini de Silva and Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage.

The Australian side specifically thanked the Sri Lanka Navy for stopping the boats which would have otherwise entered Australia.

Sri Lanka Navy have prevented almost three to four thousand people in a number of boats heading towards Australia, which is s tremendous achievement.

Bob Carr during the discussions emphasided that people will not get any opportunity to step into Australia if they come by boat.

“It was a clear message and he said the majority coming there are economic migrants. He said in a bid to discourage boat people, 800 have already been sent back home. It is a significant amount, out of which 120 are voluntary returnees. This gives a clear message if you go to Australia in a boat either you end up being returned or you have to go Nauru or Manus or any other island for processing. Especially people who came after August 2012 will be subjected to processing in the islands”, he said.

“Bob Carr said there are visible links to terrorism by human smugglers. It is something the people are watching and both sides agreed to cooperate in this regard”, the High Commissioner said.

“The discussions enabled an annual dialogue to discuss matters of mutual interest focused particularly on addressing the root causes, strengthening security and law enforcement co-operation, training and capacity building and public awareness campaigns to combat people smuggling”, he added.

The Australian Minister has discussed a four-point plan to curb people smuggling from Sri Lanka to Australia at the Joint Working Group meeting. The plan included intelligence sharing with Sri Lanka on smuggling operations, assistance to Sri Lankan Navy on-water activities, and AU$ 45 million aid in the next five years to rebuild Sri Lanka in a bid to reduce people smuggling.

Australia has agreed to work closely with the defence establishment of Sri Lanka to strengthen the established links on law enforcement co-operation in combating transnational crime and pledged further training opportunities for mid-career officers in the armed forces of Sri Lanka.

“All these are indications that Australia is engaging Sri Lanka more positively now. The joint working group meeting means that we will have periodical meetings of the two groups of officials both in Canberra and Colombo”, the High Commissioner said.

The Australian Foreign Minister also met President Mahinda Rajapaksa and had a cordial discussion.

“He said they were close friends and would support Sri Lanka to face any challenges.

The Foreign Ministers of the two countries met on December 16 at the Ministry of External Affairs in Sri Lanka and the participation was extensive on the Sri Lankan side.

Issues relevant to people smuggling, the Commonwealth Head of Government Meetings in 2013, bilateral foreign affairs and trade, investment opportunities, export, education and health were discussed in the forums.

“There was a spirit of friendship in all the discussions and it was the highlighting factor because the two countries discussed issues as friends, the High Commissioner said.

When Senator Bob Carr called on the Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, he agreed on trade engagement through visits by investment and trade delegates between the two countries to bridge any trade imbalance.

During the discussion Sri Lanka explained that the Lonely Planet, World Renowned Research Agency in Australia established in 1972, has selected Sri Lanka as one of the top ten countries of tourist destination for year 2013.

“It is a huge achievement for Sri Lanka because it reflects President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s vision to develop Sri Lanka after the conflict, the High Commissioner said.

Australian tourists to Sri Lanka have increased this year as mentioned by Minister Basil Rajapaksa, by 21 percent.

Minister Bob Carr also met Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who explained in detail how the LTTE terrorists progressed from the 1970’s as a bunch of terrorists who first wanted to separate the country and Indian connection, how the IPKF came in and changed their tactics because they wanted a separate state.

Australia has agreed to work closely with the defence establishment of Sri Lanka to strengthen the established links on law enforcement co-operation in combating transnational crime and pledged further training opportunities for mid-career officers in the armed forces of Sri Lanka.

Senator Carr’s discussions with the government ministers and senior officials also focused on next year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Colombo. During the high profile visit by the Australia Foreign Affairs Minister, Australia made a commitment on the education sector to grant 34 million Australian dollars to support the education system in Sri Lanka.

“The money will be shared by the Government of Sri Lanka. Normally Australia channels aid through other donor agencies.

This time they granted 34 million dollars as well as released the balance two million dollars they committed for the de-mining process out of the 20 million they agreed at the beginning”, the High Commissioner said.

Bob Carr during his three day tour met the civil society in Colombo and visited the Australian aided projects in Galle. He also visited the Southern Naval Command and met the Commander of the Southern Naval Command Rear Admiral Illangakone.

The High Commissioner said the last few weeks saw an increase in the bilateral relationship between the two countries as there was an international conference, Network for Asia Pacific Schools of Public Administration and Governance which was attended by India, Pakistan, Nepal, Australia, Thailand and Korea.

The conference was inaugurated by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa. Austrailia’s Monash University Deputy Vice Chancellor and 15 professors took part as coordinators with SLIDA under the Ministry of Public administration.

“It was another step in the right direction and they are academics we need because Monash University is one of the worlds famous universities and they partner with us.

As a result we receive assistance of the Australian Aid Programme and Australian aid through the Monash university. Public servants, Government Agents, Additional Secretaries and District Secretaries go through a period of SLIDA where Monash university lecturers come and lecture in Sri Lanka”, he said.

The High Commissioner said that Sri Lanka Navy’s engagement with Australia is extensive and on his request the Australian Navy Chief decided to grace Galle Dialogue organised by the Sri Lanka Navy on December 8 and 9.

The Galle Dialogue was started in 2010 with only 10 countries and participation increased to 17 last year. This year it reached 29 countries.

“Therefore this week we had about 50 Australians in Sri Lanka. I believe it will lay a good foundation for the two countries to further enhance the relationship, the High Commissioner said.