Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
22 Jun 2012
With 90 feared dead after an overloaded vessel carrying an estimated 210 asylum seekers capsized in Indonesian waters 120 km north of Christmas Island, numbers of those drowned in the past 18 months in their bid to reach sanctuary in Australia now stands at 557 but could possibly be far higher.
In December 2010 more than 48 men, women and children were lost when their flimsy boat broke up in high seas after crashing onto the jagged rocks off Christmas Island.
Just under a year later, in November 2011, a further 27 asylum seekers lost their lives off Java. Less than two weeks later another boat capsized off the Java coast. Of the 250 aboard more than 200 drowned.
As well as these four tragedies, there are disturbing and credible reports of two boats - one of which was carrying 105 asylum seekers and the other, 97 - that "disappeared" recently while making the journey from Indonesia to Australia.
"As well as those two boats, there may well be others we just don't know about," says Fr Jim Carty, coordinator of the Marist Asylum Seeker and Refugee Services.
According to Fr Carty when numbers of asylum seekers such as those who lost their lives on the vessel known as SIEV X during the Howard era when 353 of the 400 on board drowned are added to those who have died on voyages made over the past 18 months, the death toll over the past 12 years would top 1000.
"The decision to get on a boat in order to seek asylum is not made by someone who has any choice," says Fr Maurizio Pettenà, Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO). "No one wants to be an asylum seeker. No one wants to risk their life in open waters. But these people are desperate. They know the boat journey is dangerous and they know they're likely to end up in detention, but in their situation, it is often seen as a necessary step in order to secure their long term future."
Fr Pettenà has joined calls for the government and politicians on both sides of the House to explore alternative measures that would allow people who are most at risk and affected directly by conflict and persecution in their homelands to depart in an orderly fashion and be processed here in Australia.
"Australia should explore suitable arrangements with countries such as Afghanistan, Iran and Sri Lanka to allow people to escape to safety and by allowing processing in Australia it would take away the need for so many people to put themselves and their lives at the mercy of people smugglers and these dangerous journeys," he says.
Fr Pettanà is convinced the only way to prevent continuing tragedies such as the one that occurred in the waters of Indonesia last night is to increase Australia's humanitarian intake.
"At present the demand for refugee visas far outstrips supply," he says and is encouraged by the Minister for Immigration, Chris Bowen's pledge to expand the number of those found to be genuine refugees that Australia resettles each year.
But while the Government and Opposition continue to "exploit" asylum seekers to gain political points and refuse to come together to create a bi-partisan, humane and workable policy on the issue, the tragic loss of life of some of the world's most desperate and vulnerable will continue, Fr Carty warns.
"This latest tragedy reveals once again the plight of the 2000-plus asylum seekers and refugees being held in camps, detention centres, compounds and prisons in Indonesia. Many of these people have been found to be genuine refugees by the UNHCR (United Nations Human Rights Commission for Refugees) but having waited year after year in often appalling conditions there is still no guarantee of them finding resettlement," says Ian Rintoul of Australia's Refugee Action Coalition pointing out it is little wonder that with no hope of resettlement, no rights and no opportunity to work legally or for their children to attend school, so many refugees from Indonesia are willing to risk everything including their lives to try and make it to Australia.
For the past decade or more, Indonesia has become a warehouse for thousands of desperate Afganistani, Pakistani, Burmese, Sri Lankan and other refugees. But what few Australians do not realise is that the pitiful conditions many are forced to live in, which include rat-infested dwellings where as many as three and four families bed down in one room, are run by international agencies directly funded by our Government.
Three years ago a report by Australian lawyer, Jesse Taylor revealed the cost of the upkeep for more than 2000 of these refugees was paid for by the Australian Government in an effort to prevent or discourage them from trying to reach Australia by boat.
"Despite this being under the Federal Government's own humanitarian plan, in the first three months of this year only 17 of the hundreds if not thousands of refugees held in Indonesia and referred by the UNHCR have been accepted for settlement in Australia," Ian Rintoul reports.
He joins Fr Pettanà, Fr Carty, church leaders and other refugee advocates in calling on both sides of Parliament to develop a workable, humane and fair policy that puts human rights not politics front and centre.
According to the United Nations, there are currently more than 42 million forcibly displaced people in the world today who have fled violence, persecution and conflict.
The 4000 asylum seekers who have managed to reach Australia in the past six months is a very tiny proportion of this number, Ian Rintoul says and urges the Government to expand the number of resident visas granted on humanitarian grounds.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
22 Jun 2012
Some of the survivors of the latest tragedy. Many still missing
In December 2010 more than 48 men, women and children were lost when their flimsy boat broke up in high seas after crashing onto the jagged rocks off Christmas Island.
Just under a year later, in November 2011, a further 27 asylum seekers lost their lives off Java. Less than two weeks later another boat capsized off the Java coast. Of the 250 aboard more than 200 drowned.
As well as these four tragedies, there are disturbing and credible reports of two boats - one of which was carrying 105 asylum seekers and the other, 97 - that "disappeared" recently while making the journey from Indonesia to Australia.
More than 48 asylum seekers drowned when their boat
was thrown onto rocks at Christmas Island in 2010
was thrown onto rocks at Christmas Island in 2010
According to Fr Carty when numbers of asylum seekers such as those who lost their lives on the vessel known as SIEV X during the Howard era when 353 of the 400 on board drowned are added to those who have died on voyages made over the past 18 months, the death toll over the past 12 years would top 1000.
"The decision to get on a boat in order to seek asylum is not made by someone who has any choice," says Fr Maurizio Pettenà, Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO). "No one wants to be an asylum seeker. No one wants to risk their life in open waters. But these people are desperate. They know the boat journey is dangerous and they know they're likely to end up in detention, but in their situation, it is often seen as a necessary step in order to secure their long term future."
Fr Jim Carty has worked with
refugees and asylum seekers
for more than 35 years
refugees and asylum seekers
for more than 35 years
"Australia should explore suitable arrangements with countries such as Afghanistan, Iran and Sri Lanka to allow people to escape to safety and by allowing processing in Australia it would take away the need for so many people to put themselves and their lives at the mercy of people smugglers and these dangerous journeys," he says.
Fr Pettanà is convinced the only way to prevent continuing tragedies such as the one that occurred in the waters of Indonesia last night is to increase Australia's humanitarian intake.
"At present the demand for refugee visas far outstrips supply," he says and is encouraged by the Minister for Immigration, Chris Bowen's pledge to expand the number of those found to be genuine refugees that Australia resettles each year.
But while the Government and Opposition continue to "exploit" asylum seekers to gain political points and refuse to come together to create a bi-partisan, humane and workable policy on the issue, the tragic loss of life of some of the world's most desperate and vulnerable will continue, Fr Carty warns.
Fr Maurizio Pettana says Australia
needs to prevent more tragedies
and urges the Government to explore
alternative measures and policies
needs to prevent more tragedies
and urges the Government to explore
alternative measures and policies
For the past decade or more, Indonesia has become a warehouse for thousands of desperate Afganistani, Pakistani, Burmese, Sri Lankan and other refugees. But what few Australians do not realise is that the pitiful conditions many are forced to live in, which include rat-infested dwellings where as many as three and four families bed down in one room, are run by international agencies directly funded by our Government.
Three years ago a report by Australian lawyer, Jesse Taylor revealed the cost of the upkeep for more than 2000 of these refugees was paid for by the Australian Government in an effort to prevent or discourage them from trying to reach Australia by boat.
Nearly 1000 asylum seekers have drowned
or disappeared on their way to Australia
or disappeared on their way to Australia
He joins Fr Pettanà, Fr Carty, church leaders and other refugee advocates in calling on both sides of Parliament to develop a workable, humane and fair policy that puts human rights not politics front and centre.
According to the United Nations, there are currently more than 42 million forcibly displaced people in the world today who have fled violence, persecution and conflict.
The 4000 asylum seekers who have managed to reach Australia in the past six months is a very tiny proportion of this number, Ian Rintoul says and urges the Government to expand the number of resident visas granted on humanitarian grounds.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
Comments