Hazara Nation

The Australian.News

BOATPEOPLE intercepted in the Ashmore Islands this week have arrived on Christmas Island and are being held in detention

The 12 suspected asylum-seekers and two Indonesian crew were brought ashore by barge at Flying Fish Cove shortly before 11am local time.

They were met by immigration officials who flew in from mainland Australia last night, Customs officials and guards from detention centre contractor GSL to carry out health, security and identity checks on them.
The group, who are thought to have reached Indonesia from the Middle East, have been travelling towards the Australian territory of Christmas Island aboard a naval vessel since being picked up at the Ashmore Islands on Monday.

“The group seemed mostly like young men, they looked quite healthy and happy, they were smiling and waving to us,” said observer Michelle Dimasi from the Institute for Social Research at Swinburne University in Melbourne.

Ms Dimasi, who is writing a PhD on Australia's asylum-seeker policy on Christmas Island, said: “To me, they appeared to be Afghanis, of Hazara ethnicity.”

Ms Dimasi said the group was then taken by bus to the island's six-year-old detention centre near the community's swimming pool, often referred to as the temporary detention centre.

Federal Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Evans said the group's interception demonstrated the Rudd Government's border security arrangements were working.

He rejected opposition claims this week that border security had weakened under Labor, saying the Rudd Government “maintained extensive patrolling of our borders by Defence and Customs which is why this vessel was intercepted”.

Christmas Island, which will this weekend celebrate 50 years as an Australian territory, is excised from Australian waters for migration purposes.

“The Rudd Government has also consistently made clear its commitment to maintain a system of mandatory detention and excision,” Senator Evans said.

“As part of this system of mandatory detention, all unauthorised boat arrivals will be detained and processed on Christmas Island and those found not to be owed protection will be removed.

“They will be held in detention at Christmas Island while they undergo health, security, identity and other checks to establish their identity and reasons for travelling to Australia.

Senator Evans said processing suspected asylum-seekers at Christmas Island signalled that the Australian Government maintained a very strong anti-people smuggling stance.

“The continuing threat of people smuggling is a direct result of significant long-term pressures driving the international movement of displaced persons through our immediate region,” he said.

“Despite this latest arrival, 2008 has seen the smallest number of arrivals in three years.

“This is testament to the increased level of engagement undertaken by Australian agencies in the region and the close relationships formed with key partners such as Indonesia.”

Senator Evans said the Rudd Government was determined to deal “effectively and appropriately with the perpetrators of the heinous crime of people smuggling that puts vulnerable lives at risk”.