There goes that right wing ding bat theory!

[Jovial Monk]

Asylum seekers 'threaten to blow up ship'
By Jakarta correspondent Geoff Thompson and staff

Two-hundred-and-sixty Sri Lankan asylum seekers are reportedly threatening to blow up their ship if the Indonesian military forces them ashore.

Indonesian navy spokesman, First Marshal Iskander Sitompul, told the ABC that many of the 260 men, women and children aboard the boat moored at a West Java port feel traumatic about going ashore because they have been "disturbed and tortured" during their journey from Sri Lanka, which began in late July.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009 ... 713396.htm

Oops, RWDBs will have it the refugees comfortably fly to Indonesia or Malaysia and then get into rickety boats to fool Aussie Immigration that they are poor refugees. Fucking get in a rickety boat in Sri Lanka and sail it across the Indian Ocean to Indonesia? Must be desperate!

55% of illegal arrivals who arrive by plane are found not to be genuine refugees--a much higher rate than those arrive by boat.

Of course, the real invasion of illegal arrivals is those tourists who arrive in Australia by plane and overstay their visa, 40,000 per year IIRC. Kind of makes me think the hysteria about the few arrivals in rickety boats is nought but good old racism and xenophobia, the natural state of a Right Wing Dirt Bag.

Right whingers really should try thinking some time!

[Jovial Monk]

Interesting article that dispels persistent myths about asylum seekers and also highlights the Australian Government’s moral obligation in the context of international cooperation.
http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/all ... &link=text

Much has been made in 2009 of the Federal Government’s efforts to make its asylum seeker policy more humane and the alleged impact of this change on the number of boat arrivals. The truth is, however, that the Australian Government is also actively increasing its cooperation with other countries in our region – such as Indonesia and Malaysia - in order to stop asylum seekers already within their borders from making onward journeys to Australia.

Amnesty International welcomes greater regional engagement on the issue of asylum seekers, but only if such cooperation results in durable solutions for vulnerable people fleeing persecution. It should be remembered that neither Indonesia nor Malaysia are signatories to the Refugee Convention, and that those countries do not provide adequate protection for refugees. If Australia is going to cooperate with our regional neighbours, our government needs to ensure that it urges protection for those in need and that it does not become complicit in the turning back of people to countries where they face serious risks of persecution….

…Rather than arguing over numbers, our leaders should be focusing on finding real and lasting solutions for those in need of protection, and ensuring that all people seeking asylum in Australia are treated equally and humanely – regardless of their method of arrival.

No "Pacific (non) Solution" would be great!

[Jovial Monk]

Bernard Keane of Crikey provides some info & reason on the 'Head for the hills, the illegal migrants are coming" hysteria:

http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/10/15/lat ... h-or-pull/

[Jovial Monk]

hahahahahaha


http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/ga ... -1,00.html

[Jovial Monk]

Monsoon threatens Sri Lankan refugees with 'humanitarian disaster', warns UN

Refugees held in internment camp said to be 'at serious risk of flooding' as monsoon season approaches.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oc ... g-refugees

Maybe we should prepare to house a lot more Tamil refugees?

And don't worry xenophobes everywhere: the Tamils are mainly Hindu, not Muslim. There, that's a relief, eh? And they even speak English! We could have much worse citizens! If they got out early and took a chance (big fucking chance) crossing the Indian ocean in that little boat then they are the sort of enterprising people we need! We need to check no Tamil Tigers are trying to get into Australia, of course.

[JWFrogen]

Maybe we should prepare to house a lot more Tamil refugees?.

Yeah why not.

We will just file this one into the How Does Labor Loose the "unlooseable" (I own the rights to that new word) election file?

[Jovial Monk]

I wasn't talking party politics there. They seem bright people, speak English and enterprising enough to get out of concentration camp and head here--sound like good people to bring in? Pity to let them rot in some squalid Indo refugee camp, surely?

One thing does puzzle me, there are Tamils in India which is just a tad closer to Sri Lanka than Australia. So, why cross 2000Km of ocean rather than just cross the strait between India & Sri Lanka?

[JWFrogen]

One thing does puzzle me, there are Tamils in India which is just a tad closer to Sri Lanka than Australia. So, why cross 2000Km of ocean rather than just cross the strait between India & Sri Lanka?

Indeed, and so it goes.

Or floats.

[Jovial Monk]

Maybe the Sri Lanka navy patrols the strait, fearing the Tamils might regroup there or something? Or they are economic refugees and so should be sent back to Sri Lanka?

Maybe the world should lean on the Sri Lanka govt to let people out the camps and get back to their daily life.

[JWFrogen]

Maybe the Sri Lanka navy patrols the strait, fearing the Tamils might regroup there or something? Or they are economic refugees and so should be sent back to Sri Lanka?.

Maybe Indians don't want an influx of other people's troubles rocking thier boat?

We are all human after all.