The past few weeks, the Australian Government has made some, what I consider, embarrassing decisions in relation to undocumented aliens arriving on our shore.
No sooner had West Papuans arrived then worries about them being interned were found to be baseless and they were all given "temporary protection visas". Then Indonesia complained and withdrew it's ambassador.
Much discussion must have gone on in Canberra because a policy change was made to incarcerate anyone that arrives "illegally" by boat. Indonesia has not had to answer for it's treatment of West Papuan, who are native to the area and Melanesian, with no realtionship with the Javanese who are being transmigrated to the area, in order to maintain hegemoney and Indonesian Interests in the Area, particularly a large Gold and Copper Mine.
So now the West Papuans will have to fend for themselves, we have washed our hands in order to placate Indonesia. Do we fear this large Islamic Nation to our North? It certainly looks like it.
We need to remember one of the submissions on behalf of the original Papuan refugees recently stated:
"One of those submissions argues: "We submit the available country information indicates the applicant will face serious harm in the form of arbitrary arrest and detention, beating, torture or execution at the hands of the TNI [the Indonesian military] and related security forces ..." This was because she had a high profile as an independence activist, has suffered past persecution and had participated in raising the Papuan independence flag in the boat in which she had come to Australia with the other asylum-seekers, a crime in Indonesia for which some of them already had been jailed. The submission referred to a report in Kompas newspaper in January quoting Indonesian Human Rights Commission deputy chairman in Papua, Albert Rumbekwan, saying the families of the asylum-seekers had been "terrorised"."More about West Papua, Solomon Islands, and the corrupt Immigration Policy of the Howard Government in Canberra
Some references: 1. Papua stance not helping Indonesian democrats; Kenneth Davidson see ONLINE NEWS, Thursday, April 20, 2006. 6:08am (AEST)
2. Villawood detainee attempts self-harm, ABC
3. Mike Steketee: Howard is wrong on refugees, The Australian, April 20, 2006,
4.Mark Forbes, Jakarta attacks Uniting Church over West Papua, The Age, April 20, 2006,
5. New Matilda Editorial, 19 April, 2006,
6. ABC Online Wednesday, April 19, 2006. 4:01pm (AEST)
7. UN issues refugee warning to Australia, The Age April 19, 2006 -11:34AM 8. Ruddock 'disappointed' by UNHCR criticism, ABC ONLINE NEWS, Wednesday, April 19, 2006. 7:38pm (AEST) 9. DIMA'S New Culture: Politics as Usual, Senator Andrew Bartlett, Deputy Parliamentary Leader and Democrats Senator for Queensland, Australian Democrats spokesperson for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Dated: 11 April 2006,
10.Death report blames Immigration errors, The Age, By Jewel Topsfield, April 20, 2006
