Fake refugees on Oceanic Viking
The news that the Tamil refugees on the Oceanic Viking have been living in Indonesia for up to five years destroys their claim of refugee status and Australia must not accept them.
Refugees are not “tourists”. Refugees are seeking a safer place than their own country. Having found safe haven in Indonesia, arriving by ‘normal’ means and registered with the Indonesian government as refugees, they do not have the right to select their country of destination. That makes them tourists.
Australia cannot accept these refugees on humanitarian grounds – they should apply to migrate through the normal channels.
The acceptance of the governments offer to resettle genuine refugees within three months by 22 of the Tamils on the Oceanic Viking immediately puts the validity of the remaining 50 odd in question. Let us hope they are well screened before they enter Australia an we should not become a refuge for ‘Tamil Tigers’ or criminals.
Greg Naylor
14 November 2009 at 10:37 am
Hi Greg. I’m a bit puzzled by your use of that picture of the people packed on the outside of a train on a topic about asylum seekers from Sri Lanka. It’s from India isn’t it?
As for the issue, well we were stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one, surely. What would you have done given that we had an international obligation to pick these people up from their stricken vessel in Indoneasian waters? We’ve done everything we can, I think.
Ray Dixon
15 November 2009 at 10:23 am
Ray, the photo was used as it was entertaining and plays up to those who see asylym seekers as a rort.
I’m with you in that the government has done all it can to resolve the issue. The point I am trying to make is that if Australia folds to the remaining 50 on board they will run the risk of turning good Australians against the Tamil refugees.
IUf those remaining do not avail themselves of Australia’s offer of fast tracking their applications, they probably have good cause to fear closer examination and should be returned o Sri Lanka.
Greg Naylor
15 November 2009 at 12:08 pm
Just to turn this debate on its head a bit, Greg. One thing that has always puzzled me is how the asylum seekers get into Indonesia in the first place. I might be wrong but I think most of the boat people from Vietnam in the late 70s travelled all the way from their country to ours. Country hopping would seem to put asylum seekers in a different light. I’m still a great advocate for Australia being magnaminous on refugees but there is something else here I think.
Ray Dixon
18 November 2009 at 2:08 pm
My understanding of asylum seeking is a safe exit from oppression (physical, political, etc) rather than chosing which country one flees to.
You are right in that these people have been able to traverse other countries to get to Indonesia and then to Australia. Once they leave their country of origin, they should be processed in the new country under the international treaties on asylum seekers.
Australia should be applying pressure along the route to have those country meet their international obligations with asylum seekers. At the moment, they avoid the issues we face by moving them on. Why should we be the end of the line
Greg Naylor
18 November 2009 at 3:48 pm
Why should we be the end of the line
I think it was an Indonesian offcial who said Australia is such a strong magnet for asylum seekers simply because it offers more opportunities, a better lifestyle, better climate, etc, etc, and that is just how it is.
I don’t know how it works in Indonesia but perhaps there’s a temporary visa issued to them and they never apply for asylum there because they just want to get to Australia. Putting myself in a genuine regugee’s shoes I’d feel much the same way.
And, as Indonesia is pretty overcrowded, perhaps we just have to accept that refugees will use it as a transit or staging point, not a destination. We can’t tell other countries how to run their affairs.
Ray Dixon
19 November 2009 at 10:50 pm
Greg Naylor
15 November 2009 at 6:58 pm
We can’t tell other countries how to run their affairs.
But we can and must stand up to intimidation as was shown by the Sri Lankans on the Oceanic Viking.
Greg Naylor
20 November 2009 at 11:32 am