Sri Lanka - Australia to check illegal migrants

By Kurulu Kariyakarawana

Migrating to another country in search of wealth and better living conditions is not uncommon. Or migration in search of political sanctuary due to persecution is also heard throughout history. Either way, doing so in an illegal manner has become something that could be seen developed into alarming proportions at present. Illicit exodus of civilians in numbers to Australia can be described as a death trip to a promised land. But the numbers never seem to be going down despite the fact that they are being turned away.

Despite a clear warning issued by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) of the government of Australia to the Unauthorised Maritime Arrivals that “If you come here by boat without a visa, you will not be settled in Australia,” the flow of illegal migrants to the banned destination continues still at a steady rate with at least one such trip being thwarted by the navy at sea each month and several such attempts being stopped by the police onshore.

The combination of figures being collected by both the navy and the police of the persons who were taken into custody whilst attempting to leave the country illegally on boats throughout the past three years is over 8,000. The navy alone arrested 4,145 persons in the sea along with several hundred more people onshore since 2010 and out of that 2,847 persons were nabbed in 2012.

Constant advertisements being telecasted on local television channels and published on newspapers that not to visit Australia in a boat is questionable whether they have made any impact on the people who would actually risk their lives and only wealth they possess in vain.

With the amendments to the immigration laws since July 19 the Australian government have announced that the asylum claims of those who arrive in search of either political or economic refuge without a visa will be assessed by the department. If these claims are not covered by the country’s international obligations they will be returned to their homelands whenever possible.

But if they don’t return to their countries quickly they will be immediately transferred to Manus Island of Papua New Guinea or Nauru under Regional Settlement Agreement. There these people will be subjected to enhanced screening and still if they do not meet the international obligations of Australia they will be immediately returned to their countries. But if they are proved to be refugees they will be settled in Papua New Guinea, the DIC clearly states.

Since August last year more than 1,300 people have been returned to Sri Lanka including from the Christmas Island. Out of that 1,100 were sent home involuntarily. The latest batch was sent to Sri Lanka couple of days ago, a group of 48 persons including 35 single adult males and 13 others including seven children from the Christmas Island.

It is learnt that these groups pay human smugglers a sum of $8,000 to $10,000 per person to be taken to Australia on a boat which is around Rs. one million. Apart from that the 20 to 30 day journey involved with utmost risk is not to be mentioned where several such boats loaded with hundreds of persons capsized though out these years. The last accident occurred few weeks ago claimed at least 15 lives including several children that were lost in the deep seas.

However these incidents were not seemed to have made any impact on the people who would risk even the lives of their children to make such journeys. The statistics are showing that majority of the people who try to leave the country illegally were Tamils especially from the areas of North and East. A report compiled by the Criminal Investigation Department show that 90 percent of the people were from Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Mannar districts. According to this 3,662 persons have been arrested from January 1, 2012 to July 31, 2013 whilst trying to leave the country from Negombo, Galle, Trincomalee, Valachchenai and Tangalle.

Around 68 cases have been reported during this period and the last one to report was on Thursday where 27 persons were nabbed in Beruwala and Galle. According to statistics 464 Sinhalese were among the captives and 136 Muslims. 3,058 persons were Tamils of 302 are female adults and 354 are children.

In these arrests highest number of attempts to illegally leave the country in a boat have been reported from Negombo which 20 cases. 17 cases were reported from Trincomalee and 11 cases were from Galle. Two cases were reported from Tangalle. Single cases had been reported from Valachchenai, Batticaloa and Point Pedro.

The highest number of persons tried to migrate in a single boat trip was reported from Valachchenai which is 109 persons including 98 Tamil males and 11 Sinhala males about to set sail on Mihiriputha boat on July 15, 2012. Respectively 112 persons tried to leave on October 11, 2012 and 105 persons on November 15 in 2012 from Negombo. A group of 100 persons including 64 Tamil males, five Tamil females, nine Tamil children, 17 Muslim males and five Sinhala males have tried to migrate on November 11 in 2012. Likewise the smallest group of illegal migrants were arrested again in Negombo on June 2 in 2012 where five persons tried to leave in a boat. It is interesting to note that four foreigners, two Indians and two Bangalideshi nationals had tried to leave in two separate instances as well.

Australian poster

Most of these arrests made by the police were made on the shore or in surrounding areas whilst the suspects were waiting in hideouts to be taken by the smugglers. However the navy has a different story to tell.

Navy Commander Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage explained that most of these people especially Tamils who try to illegally migrate would do so in search of extra cash and not because of any persecution they face as they claim to the foreign authorities. Instances have reported that certain people in the North East areas have managed to migrate into Australia somehow and had been sending at least $1,500 a month to their families. This had made many persons motivated to travel to those countries where they can work and earn extra money. The reasons these people give to the authorities when they are being captured are appalling that would defame the reputation of the country in the international arena.

Some would say that still there are atrocities against the Tamils in Sri Lanka even after the war and others would say that it virtually difficult to live with poor economic conditions. None of these excuses are right and the Sri Lankan Navy had taken measures to educate the Australian government on many instances.

According to Commander Colombage the SL Navy and the Australian Border Control has a good understanding in facing this problem and the Australian government has taken proposals made by the former very seriously.

Explaining how this trend was started the Navy Commander said the fishing marshalling was stopped in 2010 following the end of the war where all fishing boats were no more checked when they set sail.

The smugglers took advantage of this situation and started human trafficking. Although how well the navy is organised and equipped to minimise this problem it is not very difficult for a human smuggling boat to sneak out amidst 10,000 fishing boats set sail daily around the Sri Lankan coastal belt.