Another Lankan boatload to Australia

31 May 2012 02:59 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 24 Bookmark

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Another boatload of 40 Sri Lankan asylum seekers arrived at the Australia’s Cocos Islands late on Tuesday, immediately putting the resources of the main island and its 500 inhabitants under immense pressure.

The arrival was the second group of Sri Lankan asylum seekers to travel to the islands in as many weeks and the second in Australian waters this week.

The Cocos Islands are almost halfway between Perth and Sri Lanka - about 3000km each way - and are an Australian territory comprised of 27 mostly uninhabited islands.

Yesterday's arrivals have been put up at the Cocos Club, the island's only pub, with local volunteers pitching in to help the island's two Federal Police and Customs officials process and contain the group. It was understood the boat was barely seaworthy but had internet and GPS equipment.

Locals said they feared the island did not have enough supplies or resources to support the sudden increase to its population. They said the Cocos Club was grossly under-resourced to accommodate the arrivals.

A resident, who did not wish to be named, said the asylum seekers would put a heavy strain on island volunteers, the supermarket, community groups and clubs.

"All the volunteers also have their other jobs," she said.

"They're teachers and electricians and shire workers. They all have to give up their jobs to go and volunteer."

So far this year, not including yesterday's arrivals, 578 Sri Lankan asylum seekers have arrived in Australian waters compared with 211 for all of last year.

Australian Tamils Congress spokeswoman Sam Pari said the increase in arrivals reflected the threat of persecution Tamils faced in Sri Lanka, three years after the country's civil war finished.

"Australia wants a solution to the humanitarian crisis on our doorstep here, we need to put diplomatic pressure on Sri Lanka to ensure that the rights of the Tamil people are maintained in Sri Lanka," Dr Pari said.

"The soft approach isn't working. It's time for Australia to put serious diplomatic pressure on Sri Lanka."

Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship are arranging for the passengers to be transferred to Christmas Island for security, health and identity checks. (The West)