Weekly Refugee Posting 2: Indonesia
On to Indonesia, our neighbour to the north, a country which does not allow refugees to settle and therefore is a source of many of the "boat people" trying to reach Australia. There's been tension all month between the two countries over our government's "turn back" policy.
First, though, the serious allegations of mistreatment and violence perpetrated on African asylum seekers by Royal Australian Navy personnel who towed their boat back to Indonesia. According to Indonesian police, ten of the asylum seekers required medical treatment, seven of them for severe burns on their hands. They told police that RAN personnel forced them to hold onto hot metal pipes from the ship's engine, after they insisted on being allowed to use the toilet. They also stated that Navy personnel kicked and punched asylum seekers.
The Australian military and government have dismissed the allegations outright, with PM Tony Abbott stating "These are just claims without any apparent facts to back them up", even after photos and videos of burns and bruises emerged in the media. However, the allegations come at the same time as the RAN investigates into connections between Navy members and a racist anti-immigration group, the Australian Defence League. (The Navy's response, that they have a strict social media policy and violations will be punished, indicates that racism is tolerated by the RAN as long as it's not on display to the public.)
The Indonesian police may be unable to proceed further because of questions over exactly where the alleged torture took place; they're communicating with the AFP in hopes of establishing this. Australia's government says it will send officials to cooperate with the Indonesian investigation "to ensure that these allegations are scotched". The UNHCR is attempting to corroborate the allegations.
First, though, the serious allegations of mistreatment and violence perpetrated on African asylum seekers by Royal Australian Navy personnel who towed their boat back to Indonesia. According to Indonesian police, ten of the asylum seekers required medical treatment, seven of them for severe burns on their hands. They told police that RAN personnel forced them to hold onto hot metal pipes from the ship's engine, after they insisted on being allowed to use the toilet. They also stated that Navy personnel kicked and punched asylum seekers.
The Australian military and government have dismissed the allegations outright, with PM Tony Abbott stating "These are just claims without any apparent facts to back them up", even after photos and videos of burns and bruises emerged in the media. However, the allegations come at the same time as the RAN investigates into connections between Navy members and a racist anti-immigration group, the Australian Defence League. (The Navy's response, that they have a strict social media policy and violations will be punished, indicates that racism is tolerated by the RAN as long as it's not on display to the public.)
The Indonesian police may be unable to proceed further because of questions over exactly where the alleged torture took place; they're communicating with the AFP in hopes of establishing this. Australia's government says it will send officials to cooperate with the Indonesian investigation "to ensure that these allegations are scotched". The UNHCR is attempting to corroborate the allegations.