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Riau Won’t Grant Asylum to Sri Lanka Refugees
November 09, 2009

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The Riau Islands’ regional government has reiterated that the Sri Lankan immigrants still aboard an Australian-flagged ship anchored in provincial waters will not be granted asylum if they are transferred to nearby Tanjung Pinang detention center.

“Although the Foreign Ministry has extended their stay permit, we remain firm in rejecting them,” Governor Ismeth Abdullah said on Sunday.

However, he added that the regional government would permit the MV Oceanic Viking to remain anchored in the waters off Pulau Cempedak Island, Bintan district, providing the Sri Lankans remained on board.

“If they just stay aboard, it’s OK. They have in fact refused to leave the ship,” the governor said.

On Friday, the Indonesian government issued a second week-long extension of the stay permit for the 78 people seeking asylum in Australia, who reportedly comprise 68 men, 5 women and 5 children from Sri Lanka’s Tamil ethnic minority.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said on Friday that the government’s tolerance of the Oceanic Viking was a reflection of its understanding of the depth of the problem faced by the Australian government.

“The extension was granted in the hope that the Australian government can find a better solution to the problem of illegal immigrants,” said Faizasyah.

Faizasyah also called on residents, the regional administration and related authorities on Bintan Island to be patient.

Meanwhile, Australia on Sunday urged Sri Lanka, which defeated the Tamil Tigers in May, to embrace political reform and reconciliation to stem the flow of migrants leaving the country.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith will meet his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama in Colombo today.

“I will reiterate Australia’s view that having won the war, Sri Lanka now needs to win the peace through political reform and reconciliation,” Smith said in a statement.

“Mr. Bogollagama and I will discuss bilateral and regional cooperation on people smuggling and ways in which Australia will continue to assist Sri Lanka to rebuild after decades of internal conflict.”

Independent Australian Senator Nick Xenaphon said: “We should process those people on Christmas Island, check them thoroughly to see if they’re genuine refugees, and if they are, they need to be resettled.”



Antara, Reuters