Prime Minister John Howard said that the proposed changes in immigration laws are not intended to appease Indonesia but to strengthen the country’s border protection. Under the new immigration laws, all unauthorized boat arrivals to Australia would be sent to offshore processing centers in Nauru, Manus Island and Christmas Island. These proposed changes have upset 10 government backbenchers who threatened to vote against the legislation in the Senate. Critics of the proposed changes claim the legislation breaches Australia’s international obligations and undermines an agreement reached last year ensuring that women and children would be kept out of detention centers. Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone who has been negotiating with the backbenchers failed to reach a compromise. Meanwhile, Howard cut short the debate on the immigration laws in the Coalition party on 20 June, saying that nothing more can be gained from further exchanges on the issue. This leaves Howard unable to promise the passage of the hard line border protection policy when he meets the Indonesian leader on 26 June.
Indonesian solon Theo Sambuaga who heads his government’s foreign relations committee said he hopes Australia would pass its new immigration laws before Prime Minister John Howard meets with Indonesia’s Susilo Bambang Yughoyono. He also advised Howard against bringing up the release of Islamic cleric Abu Bakir Bashir during talks with the Indonesian president. Howard had been planning to tell Yudhoyono about the anger of the Australian people on the early release of Bashir. The cleric was responsible for the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, including 88 from Australia. He also intended asking Indonesia to freeze Bashir’s assets and restrict his movements during the upcoming summit.
Australia would grant A$40 million to Nauru to help the island nation undertake reforms and remove corruption in its government in exchange for allowing the use of its territory as an offshore processing center for asylum seekers who arrive on Australian shores by boat. This is the fourth agreement made by Australia with Nauru, which is tied to the so-called Pacific Solution. Meanwhile, the Nauru government urged Australia to resolve the case of two Iraqi refugees who have been detained on the island for almost five years. The pair has since been interviewed by agents of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization and mental health experts for possible resettlement to a third country.
Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Rabbie Namaliu has rejected the informal request of Australian High Commissioner Michael Potts that PNG temporarily accommodate any Papuan asylum seekers who reach Australian shores. According to the minister, PNG cannot grant the request in view of its good relationship with neighboring Indonesia. The issue is particularly sensitive for PNG because it shares a border with Indonesia. Meanwhile, PNG Prime Minister Michael Somare said that it is better for Australia to process asylum seekers within its own soil. Somare’s statement gave rise to speculations that PNG may no longer allow the use of Manus Island as an offshore processing center.
According to Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone, Australia expects to accept up to 900 refugees from Burma this year, which is more than twice last year’s intake. Vanstone added that Australia intends to take in up to 1,400 refugees from the Karen ethnic minority in Burma next financial year under its refugee resettlement program. Australia’s decision to increase its refugee intake from Burma is due to what it perceives as the desperate situation of the people forced to flee from their country’s brutal military regime.
Following a joint operation by the Department of Immigration, Centrelink and the local police, 13 irregular immigrants were arrested in Campasge Shire on 14 June. Those arrested included six Malaysians, four Thais and three Vietnamese who were found working in local vineyards. According to authorities, one worker was arrested for violating the “no work" condition on his visa while the rest were apprehended for other immigration offenses.
The Immigration Department has sent a letter warning Teys Bros Abbatoir in Naracoorte in South Australia that it has committed a breach of visa conditions when it offered extra, unskilled duties to its Chinese migrant workers. The company would be closely monitored from now on to detect more breaches in the future.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has called on local and international NGOs and overseas police agencies to help curb the illegal trade of women to Australia. The police made the call following last month’s prosecution of a former Fitzroy brothel owner who forced a group of Thai women to work as sex slaves. Since 2004, the AFP has rescued more than 50 women from the illegal trade. At present it is investigating 14 more new cases. Police officials are hoping with the help of NGOs, more women victims would be encouraged to come out into the open and testify against their captors.
With the help of a client who called the Immigration Department, four Thai women were rescued from a brothel owned by Somsri Yotchomchin and Johan Sieders. The two have been charged for knowingly employing foreign women who were in a condition of sexual servitude. The court was also informed that arrangements were made to make the women apply for a protection visa claiming to be lesbians who were persecuted in Thailand. According to one of the women, she was told by her agent in Thailand that she owed A$15,000 for her travel and visa, but upon her arrival in Australia, Yotchomchin told her that she had debts amounting to A$45,000.
Sources: Michael Gordon, “Border laws still waiting for the boat," The Age, 16 June 2006; AAP, “Howard denies appeasing Indonesia," The Age, 16 June 2006; AAP, “Process asylum seekers in Australia: PNG," The Age, 16 June 2006; AAP, “IR, migrants top parliament agenda," The Age, 18 June 2006; AAP, “Rebel MPs continue asylum seekers talks," The Age, 18 June 2006; AFP, “Australian PM to tell Indonesian leader of anger over Bashir," Channel News Asia, 18 June 2006; AAP, “PM guarded on immigration laws," The Age, 19 June 2006; Michael Gordon, “Time to find a solution, says Nauru," The Age, 20 June 2006; Cath Hart, “Talks stall over Nauru detention plan," The Australian, 20 June 2006; David Humphries, “Vanstone gives ground on refugee plan," The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 June 2006; Leonie Lamont, “Client took pity on sex slave, court told," The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 June 2006; “PM steps in to immigration stoush," The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 June 2006; Michael Gordon, “PM cuts short fiery debate on migration laws," The Age, 21 June 2006; Samantha Maiden and Cath Hart, “Refugees: PM gags rebel," The Australian, 21 June 2006; AAP, “Immigration laws: Indonesian MP weighs in," The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 June 2006; Michael Gordon, “Howard left empty-handed as rebels dig in on migration laws," The Age, 22 June 2006; AAP, “PM forced to wait on asylum seeker laws," The Sydney Morning Herald, 22 June 2006; Cheryl Drennan, “Illegal workers nabbed – Vineyards employ 13," The Advertiser, 23 June 2006; “Bishops’ refugee office slams proposed asylum changes," cathnews.com, 23 June 2006; “Immigration Dept warns abbatoir of visas breach," Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 23 June 2006; Ann Barker, “Vanstone to boost Burmese refugee intake," Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 26 June 2006; David Humphries, “Nauru given $40m to take refugees – and fight graft," The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 June 2006; AAP, “Australia to take more Burmese refugees," The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 June 2006; AAP, “PNG rejects requests to take ‘refugees’," The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 June 2006; Sarah Smiles, “Police move to curb sex slavery," The Age, 30 June 2006; AAP, “Bogus asylum claims ‘won’t be tolerated’," The Age, 30 June 2006