April 21, Online/AFPJakarta called on governments Monday to stop âshifting responsibilityâ for asylum seekers, in veiled criticism of Australiaâs hardline policy of towing boatloads of would-be refugees back to Indonesia
strong>April 21, Online/AFP
Jakarta called on governments Monday to stop 'shifting responsibility' for asylum seekers, in veiled criticism of Australia's hardline policy of towing boatloads of would-be refugees back to Indonesia.
Your comments:
For Indonesia the message is not clear and the national solution in Australia was to stop the boats coming, which Australia already has accomplished. This should have a flow-on effect where those not going to Australia will no longer come to Indonesia and only those who do come to Indonesia want to seek asylum in Indonesia.
I read an article in the news the other day, 'Supervision of undocumented migrants tightened in Palembang,' (The Jakarta Post, April 17) where Indonesia has now deployed immigration officials, police and airport security guards to a number of locations in Indonesia and I posted a question in the comments of the news article that mentioned: 'From January to April, not one migrant was discovered while last year, we netted dozens of undocumented migrants from Pakistan and Afghanistan.'
If not one migrant was discovered from January to April then why has Indonesia now deployed immigration officials, police and airport security guards to a number of locations?
The military-led operation has caused anger in Indonesia, which has been forced to take back seven boatloads of asylum seekers turned around by the Australian navy since December.
Yes, there was anger in Indonesia about those boatloads, but have there been any more boatloads since then? No, as no more want to come to Australia and, instead, have chosen to go elsewhere.
Eddy
Australia has solved the problem of asylum seekers into Indonesia by eliminating the destination country, Australia. There is little attraction in coming to Indonesia. However, this also upsets some locals who are making money out of the asylum seekers.
There is no way Australia is going to dismantle its defenses under some slogan of finding a regional solution to the refugee crisis. Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa is not looking for a regional solution; he simply wants Australia to continue taking boat arrivals so they can make money out of the trade.
Jagera
Australia has provided patrol boats to police Indonesian borders against illegal migrants attempting to travel to Australia using Indonesian boats and crew.
Indonesia has refused to use these boats on its southern borders and has thumbed its nose at one of the country's aid donors.
I can guarantee that the Australian electorate would fully support the cancellation of aid money to Indonesia if Marty continues on this line.
The asylum seekers come to Indonesia first: Stop them.
Sharon Jackson
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