Illusive Mind

Wouldn’t you know it.

The fate of 85 Sri Lankan asylum seekers is still uncertain as the Department of Immigration and Citizenship decides what to do with the men.

HMAS Success intercepted the asylum seekers in the early hours of February 20, 50 nautical miles off Christmas Island, near the West Australian coast.

…

Media reports have suggested that crew members from HMAS Success tried to repair an engine on the unseaworthy boat to turn the asylum seekers back.

The Immigration spokeswoman told theage.com.au, “I’ve heard that report but I can’t confirm whether or not that’s the case.”

Given the awfulness of our ‘Pacific Solution’ perhaps turning them back is more humane in a sick kind of way.

But why does this remind me of the SEIV-X incdent?

On 18 October 2001, a small, unnamed 19.5m by 4m fishing boat departed Bandar Lampung, Indonesia, with 421 passengers onboard. On the 19th the boat sank in international waters, within Indonesia’s zone of search and rescue responsibility, and also inside the Australian border protection surveillance zone. Approximately 146 children, 142 women and 65 men died. On the 20th 44 survivors were rescued by an Indonesian fishing boat, the Indah Jaya Makmur. A 45th survivor was rescued about twelve hours later by another boat, the Surya Terang [1].

Some survivors claimed that some passengers refused to board when they saw the state of the boat, but were forced aboard by Indonesian police.

From sievx.com

Why is it that the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) surveillance map of the day the SIEVX survivors were rescued by passing fishing boats does not show a rescue boat within 27 nautical miles of the rescue coordinates, when it appears that the RAAF Orion flew directly over the survivors as they were being plucked from the water?…

…

Australia is denying permanent residency to survivors living here unlike other countries who provided secure residency to those who survived SIEVX. On the eve of the second anniversary of the sinking, Democrats Leader, Senator Andrew Bartlett moved a motion in the Senate, which included a request to the new Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone to grant permanent visas on humanitarian grounds to the SIEVX survivors and those who had close family members who drowned on SIEVX. So far this request has been met with resounding silence.

Update: I bet Howard is thanking his lucky stars and hoping he can wedge Rudd on asylum seekers.

“They will not be allowed to land on the Australian mainland,” he told Southern Cross Broadcasting today.

Mr Howard said today Australia’s hardline policy of sending asylum seekers to offshore detention centres had not changed, and the latest arrival was a chance to reassert the government’s position.

“Clearly, sending them to Nauru is an option, but we are assessing all of the options,” Mr Howard said.  

“It’s an opportunity for Australia to send a signal to people smugglers that they needn’t think for a moment that our policy has changed.

“This is a demonstration that we still have a very strong, effective border protection policy.”

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How long will victims of persecution also be victims of a political ploy sustained by apathetic acquiescence?

A GROUP of Burmese asylum seekers detained on Nauru for several months face spending years on the tiny, sweltering island after rejecting an offer to return voluntarily to an uncertain future in Malaysia.

In a toughening of the Pacific Solution, the group has been told they will not be resettled in Australia even if they are found to be refugees - and that they could spend a “long time” on Nauru.

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Immigration outcomes for previous groups processed on Nauru offer no indication as to the likely immigration outcome for you. Unlike previous groups, the Australian Government has decided that even if you are found to be a refugee, you will not be issued with a visa to Australia from Nauru.

Depending on the outcome of the refugee status determination process, Australia will explore options for resettlement in a third country, which may take some time.

From The Age

This government is so confident of popular support for it’s hard line stance that it can end the debate on the proper treatment of asylum seekers. No need for more questioning their motives, their means to pay people smugglers, the authenticity of their claims and even their alien character because even if they are assessed as genuine refugees we will refuse to resettle them regardless.

Will the conscientious Kevin Rudd do what is right and abolish the pacific solution? Perhaps, I highly doubt he will campaign on it though, promoting a wedge issue with an apathetic, xenophobic majority is not smart politics. Calling into question the fact that we have spent half a billion dollars on this so called solution is however, quite warranted.

With the help of some liberal backbenchers and stuff-ups that detained and deported white people, enough support was mustered to revise some immigration policies and now even Amanda Vanstone has got the flick. But the plight of one white Australian citizen is of more concern than all the poor dark people wasting away on some would-be island paradise.

David Hicks’ treatment is an outrage and we should be vocal in our protest, but it remains clear that in this country, with this government if there is political gain to be had, we shit on citizens and non-citizens alike.

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As anyone in Australia would know, the treatment of Australian citizen, David Hicks at the hands of the US government and at the acquiescence of the Australian government is an abomination.

Everyone should listen to Evoka’s song “Where’s the Justice” by going to:

http://www.myspace.com/evokamelbourne

EVOKA are three people who are concerned that an Australian citizen David Hicks has been held in Guantanamo Bay for five years without a trial. Believing strongly in the power of song to relay a message and be a rallying call, EVOKA wrote Wheres the Justice? inspired by the strength and determination of David Hicks` father Terry and the public mood in recent weeks alerting the media that men and women of Middle Australia are outraged by the lack of action by the Australian Government to obtain justice and a fair trial for David Hicks. With all the wars, suffering and environmental issues facing us Citizens of the World as 2007 commences, EVOKA will be encouraging all musicians to revive the protest song tradition in the spirit of folk songs of the people.

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