Australian Navy Catches 124 Asylum Seekers Off Its Coast

[News_Editor]

Australian Navy catches 124 asylum seekers off its coast < br />

2012-06-10 11:43:21 GMT+7 (ICT)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (BNO NEWS) -- The Australian Navy on Saturday intercepted two boats carrying more than 120 asylum seekers combined, bringing the number of asylum seekers caught this month alone to more than 500, officials said. It indicates a sharp increase in the number of new arrivals.

ACV Triton, operating under the control of Australia's Border Protection Command, intercepted the first suspected people smuggling vessel northeast of Christmas Island on Saturday morning. Another people smuggling vessel was later caught by the ACV Ashmore Guardian southwest of the Ashmore Islands.

Korena Flanagan, a spokeswoman for Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare, said the first vessel was carrying a total of 100 passengers and 2 crew members and the second was carrying 24 passengers and 3 crew members. "Border Protection Command have transferred the passengers to Christmas Island, where they will undergo initial security, health and identity checks and their reasons for travel will be established," she said.

So far this year, the Australian Navy has intercepted 3,658 irregular maritime arrivals (IMAs), most of them coming from Afghanistan and Iran who use Indonesia as a transit region. As of March 31, a total of 4,197 people are being held in immigration facilities while 1,712 people have been approved for a residence determination to live in the community.

This month alone, authorities have caught more than 520 asylum seekers who attempted to reach Australia by boat, indicating a sharp increase in the number of new arrivals. On Thursday, the ACV Botany Bay intercepted one vessel carrying 23 passengers and 2 crew members southwest of the Ashmore Islands.

Australia's Migration Act 1958 requires people who are not Australian citizens and who are unlawfully in Australia to be detained. This law has been heavily criticized by the United Nations and human rights organizations as many asylum seekers are in detention for months. In 2010, a total of 4,612 irregular maritime arrivals were intercepted by the Australian Navy.

However, the boat journeys made by asylum seekers are not without risk. In December 2010, at least 30 people were killed when a boat carrying more than 90 asylum seekers sank off the coast of Christmas Island. Forty-two people were rescued, while an unknown number of people remain missing.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-06-10

[David48]

Not commenting on the above story, but, in the latest Asylum seeker boat incident, this was the latest story to unfold ...

ASYLUM seekers on a crippled boat tried a new tactic to reach Australia yesterday - asking an ABC reporter to send help from Australia.

But their request backfired when the ABC correspondent sent Indonesian rescue authorities to the aid of the boat, just a short distance off Bali at the time.

The passengers protested, saying they wanted to be rescued only by Australian authorities (my bolding). But last night they were taken to an Indonesian island against their wishes.

From Here (the link/story below is better though)

The full story and transcript of the series of phone call can be found here.

So it's understood, it was the ABC Journalist who apparently contacted the boat in the first place.

The Boat was near the Indonesian Island of Madura.

And to put that into perspective, Madura Island is situated on the northern side of Indonesia ...

[Steely Dan]

This same topic seems to reoccur as regularly as the tides and will do until such time as Australia torpedoes incoming ships or it's economy collapses, then miraculously, the boats will head elsewhere.

[Credo]

New Zealand?

[chooka]

Not commenting on the above story, but, in the latest Asylum seeker boat incident, this was the latest story to unfold ...

ASYLUM seekers on a crippled boat tried a new tactic to reach Australia yesterday - asking an ABC reporter to send help from Australia.

But their request backfired when the ABC correspondent sent Indonesian rescue authorities to the aid of the boat, just a short distance off Bali at the time.

The passengers protested, saying they wanted to be rescued only by Australian authorities (my bolding). But last night they were taken to an Indonesian island against their wishes.

From Here (the link/story below is better though)

The full story and transcript of the series of phone call can be found here.

So it's understood, it was the ABC Journalist who apparently contacted the boat in the first place.

The Boat was near the Indonesian Island of Madura.

And to put that into perspective, Madura Island is situated on the northern side of Indonesia ...

That is the new tataic they are using, Whilst only a couple of kms off Indoneasian shores they are sending bogus mayday calls and the Australian Navy (At huge expense to aussie taxpayer) are rushing to thier aid then giving them the express to Australia. Australia is being played like a fool.

[bilnovile09]

Sounds Bad

[GiHadOrange]

They must be very desperate.

[maidu]

It would be interesting if Australia shared a border with Syria.

[GiHadOrange]

It would be interesting if Australia shared a border with Syria.

There are no shared borders.

Interesting would be what kind of conclusion you could draw with the help of your desert dweller theory.

[maidu]

It would be interesting if Australia shared a border with Syria.

There are no shared borders.

Interesting would be what kind of conclusion you could draw with the help of your desert dweller theory.

You may be sorry you asked, but here goes: Aussies are a combo of many types, mainly anglos who came from Europe who were influenced, but not overwhelmed by desert dwellers from Middle East (Jesus, Mohammed, Moses, etc).

Syrians are also a mix, having been over-run many times historically. But they're mostly desert-dwellers, so they adhere to the monotheistic, self-limiting, free-speech-stiffling lifestyle. Probably more telling; they are millions of people stuck in a terrain with nearly no natural resources. A region which has a carrying capacity of perhaps 9 people per sq.Km, is not expected to provide for thousands of people per sq.Km in the cities. The first casualties in such a scenario are wild animals, forests and naturally flowing waters - which were eradicated hundreds, if not thousands of years ago in that region.

If we had another habitable planet to infest (this one we're on is nearly spent), then desperate people like Syrians could possibly be shipped there, similar to how British were shipped (literally) to Australia a few hundred years ago, partly because the small islands of Britain were becaming oversaturated with people, prior to that time.

Edited July 28, 2012 by maidu

[GiHadOrange]

It would be interesting if Australia shared a border with Syria.

There are no shared borders.

Interesting would be what kind of conclusion you could draw with the help of your desert dweller theory.

You may be sorry you asked, but here goes: Aussies are a combo of many types, mainly anglos who came from Europe who were influenced, but not overwhelmed by desert dwellers from Middle East (Jesus, Mohammed, Moses, etc).

Syrians are also a mix, having been over-run many times historically. But they're mostly desert-dwellers, so they adhere to the monotheistic, self-limiting, free-speech-stiffling lifestyle. Probably more telling; they are millions of people stuck in a terrain with nearly no natural resources. A region which has a carrying capacity of perhaps 9 people per sq.Km, is not expected to provide for thousands of people per sq.Km in the cities. The first casualties in such a scenario are wild animals, forests and naturally flowing waters - which were eradicated hundreds, if not thousands of years ago in that region.

If we had another habitable planet to infest (this one we're on is nearly spent), then desperate people like Syrians could possibly be shipped there, similar to how British were shipped (literally) to Australia a few hundred years ago, because the small islands of Britain became oversaturated with people before that time.

Ahh, i see you take some theory of an ecological catastrophe on Eastern Island and think that would explain what happens in Syria.

I thought you could also explain why these desert dwellers want to settle in Australia and not in another country like Indonesia perhaps.

[Scott]

This topic is not Asylum seekers heading to Australia. Discussion about desert dwellers is interesting, but that is not the topic.

Baiting someone into an off-topic argument will start earning suspensions.

At any rate, a lot of Australia is desert-like. Indonesia is forested (or deforested).

Stop baiting.

Edited July 28, 2012 by Scott

[Steely Dan]

They must be very desperate.

Desperation is relative. You could argue they were desperate to get to Australia as oppose to Indonesia, perhaps this is due to the arid dessert like conditions of the outback as oppose to tropical Indonesia, unless by some wild chance centrelink is the main reason.

[simple1]

This same topic seems to reoccur as regularly as the tides and will do until such time as Australia torpedoes incoming ships or it's economy collapses, then miraculously, the boats will head elsewhere.

Nope, not until the current government and opposition can work together to reverse current policy to that under the Howard Government - i.e. offshore detention and processing. The Howard government policy was heavily criticised by the likes of UNHCR and other human rights organisations as it contravened the UN protocols signed up to by Australia.

Edited July 28, 2012 by simple1

[GiHadOrange]

They must be very desperate.

Desperation is relative. You could argue they were desperate to get to Australia as oppose to Indonesia, perhaps this is due to the arid dessert like conditions of the outback as oppose to tropical Indonesia, unless by some wild chance centrelink is the main reason.

There are many reasons why people move from one country to another. The conditions in their home country play a big part in their decision. I don't think centrelink is the main motivator.

[chooka]

They must be very desperate.

Desperation is relative. You could argue they were desperate to get to Australia as oppose to Indonesia, perhaps this is due to the arid dessert like conditions of the outback as oppose to tropical Indonesia, unless by some wild chance centrelink is the main reason.

There are many reasons why people move from one country to another. The conditions in their home country play a big part in their decision. I don't think centrelink is the main motivator.

Well maybe add the free housing, medical insurance, education and the like along with the free money from centrlink that probably helps the freeloaders make the decision to gatecrash the country. Whislt the Australian government is supplying these people with everything they want there are people sleeping and dying on Australian streets in the middle of bitterly cold winters dreaming of a blanket and a meal from the garbage can. What is Australia doing for them? Absolutely nothing because there is no money and housing is in a shortage. Millions are being spent on the freeloaders just so that the politicians can look good on the international stage. The whole time they are abusing the basic human rights of Australians on the streets.

A beautiful fairy appeared one day to an asylum seeker.

'My good man,' the fairy said,

'I've been told by Julia Gillard to grant you three wishes, since you’ve just arrived in Australia with your wives and eleven children – all costs to be borne by the Australian Tax Payers.'

The man told the fairy:

'Well, in Iraq where I come from we don't have good teeth, so I want new teeth, maybe a lot of gold in them.'

The fairy looked at the man's almost toothless grin and

-- PING !!! The Asylum Seeker had a brand new shining set of gold teeth in his mouth!

'What else?' asked the fairy, 'two more wishes to go'.

The Asylum Seeker claimant now got bolder.

'I need a big house with a five car garage on the Gold Coast with eighteen bedrooms, five Lamborghini's – and a Gold Visa Card in each room - for my family and the rest of my refugee relatives who still live in Iraq; I want to bring them all over here.

PING ! - In the distance there could be seen a beautiful mansion with a five car garage, Lamborghinis, a long driveway, a walkout patio with a BBQ, and a sparkling swimming pool full of his extended family playing their music.

'One more wish left for you', said the fairy, waving her wand.

The Asylum Seeker refugee claimant really decided to go for broke now and said “I want to be an Aussie with Aussie clothes instead of the rags and shawl , and I want to have white skin like Aussies.'

PING ! - The man was transformed, wearing worn-out trainers, a dirty T-shirt and a greasy baseball hat. He had his bad teeth back and the mansion had disappeared from the horizon.

'What happened to my new teeth?' he wailed. 'Where is my new house? Where’s my Visa Gold Card?'

The fairy said; 'Tough luck Cobber. Now that you are an Aussie You're entitled to Sweet <snip> all like the rest of us”.

And she disappeared

Edited July 28, 2012 by metisdead
: Profanity.

[koheesti]

That is the new tataic they are using, Whilst only a couple of kms off Indoneasian shores they are sending bogus mayday calls and the Australian Navy (At huge expense to aussie taxpayer) are rushing to thier aid then giving them the express to Australia. Australia is being played like a fool.

Pretty clever. Sounds like they are getting their money's worth - the refugees that is, not the Australian taxpayer.

[maidu]

It would be interesting if Australia shared a border with Syria.

There are no shared borders.

Interesting would be what kind of conclusion you could draw with the help of your desert dweller theory.

You may be sorry you asked, but here goes: Aussies are a combo of many types, mainly anglos who came from Europe who were influenced, but not overwhelmed by desert dwellers from Middle East (Jesus, Mohammed, Moses, etc).

Syrians are also a mix, having been over-run many times historically. But they're mostly desert-dwellers, so they adhere to the monotheistic, self-limiting, free-speech-stiffling lifestyle. Probably more telling; they are millions of people stuck in a terrain with nearly no natural resources. A region which has a carrying capacity of perhaps 9 people per sq.Km, is not expected to provide for thousands of people per sq.Km in the cities. The first casualties in such a scenario are wild animals, forests and naturally flowing waters - which were eradicated hundreds, if not thousands of years ago in that region.

If we had another habitable planet to infest (this one we're on is nearly spent), then desperate people like Syrians could possibly be shipped there, similar to how British were shipped (literally) to Australia a few hundred years ago, because the small islands of Britain became oversaturated with people before that time.

Ahh, i see you take some theory of an ecological catastrophe on Eastern Island and think that would explain what happens in Syria.

I thought you could also explain why these desert dwellers want to settle in Australia and not in another country like Indonesia perhaps.

It's Easter Island, not Eastern Island, but good point. Every school student worldwide should be exposed to the history of Easter Island. It's a microcosm of what can (and probably will) happen for our species. Basically, you get unlimited breeding on finite terrain with ever dwindling resources, and bad things happen: hoarding, destruction of ecosystem, cannibalism, misery, extinction - not necessarily in that order.

[softgeorge]

They must be very desperate.

Desperation is relative. You could argue they were desperate to get to Australia as oppose to Indonesia, perhaps this is due to the arid dessert like conditions of the outback as oppose to tropical Indonesia, unless by some wild chance centrelink is the main reason.

There are many reasons why people move from one country to another. The conditions in their home country play a big part in their decision. I don't think centrelink is the main motivator.

Well maybe add the free housing, medical insurance, education and the like along with the free money from centrlink that probably helps the freeloaders make the decision to gatecrash the country. Whislt the Australian government is supplying these people with everything they want there are people sleeping and dying on Australian streets in the middle of bitterly cold winters dreaming of a blanket and a meal from the garbage can. What is Australia doing for them? Absolutely nothing because there is no money and housing is in a shortage. Millions are being spent on the freeloaders just so that the politicians can look good on the international stage. The whole time they are abusing the basic human rights of Australians on the streets.

A beautiful fairy appeared one day to an asylum seeker.

'My good man,' the fairy said,

'I've been told by Julia Gillard to grant you three wishes, since you’ve just arrived in Australia with your wives and eleven children – all costs to be borne by the Australian Tax Payers.'

The man told the fairy:

'Well, in Iraq where I come from we don't have good teeth, so I want new teeth, maybe a lot of gold in them.'

The fairy looked at the man's almost toothless grin and

-- PING !!! The Asylum Seeker had a brand new shining set of gold teeth in his mouth!

'What else?' asked the fairy, 'two more wishes to go'.

The Asylum Seeker claimant now got bolder.

'I need a big house with a five car garage on the Gold Coast with eighteen bedrooms, five Lamborghini's – and a Gold Visa Card in each room - for my family and the rest of my refugee relatives who still live in Iraq; I want to bring them all over here.

PING ! - In the distance there could be seen a beautiful mansion with a five car garage, Lamborghinis, a long driveway, a walkout patio with a BBQ, and a sparkling swimming pool full of his extended family playing their music.

'One more wish left for you', said the fairy, waving her wand.

The Asylum Seeker refugee claimant really decided to go for broke now and said “I want to be an Aussie with Aussie clothes instead of the rags and shawl , and I want to have white skin like Aussies.'

PING ! - The man was transformed, wearing worn-out trainers, a dirty T-shirt and a greasy baseball hat. He had his bad teeth back and the mansion had disappeared from the horizon.

'What happened to my new teeth?' he wailed. 'Where is my new house? Where’s my Visa Gold Card?'

The fairy said; 'Tough luck Cobber. Now that you are an Aussie You're entitled to Sweet <snip> all like the rest of us”.

And she disappeared

Agree Australia cares more for the people arriving ilegally than the Australians sleeping on the streets and begging for food. Thousands of Australians who are doing way far harder than the so called asylum seekers who arrive and are afforded warm dry housing 3 square meals a day, health care, education and money. (all free of charge) The Australian government spends millions on the economic refugees whislt it urinates and laughs at the homeless and sick. This is what irritates a lot of Australians. If they come to this country then get in line behind the homeless spend time on the streets sifting through garbage bins for scraps of food and wait years for a chance at government housing they may just change there minds and see that thier life is actually better where they are.. It is totally disgusting and wrong how they are put ahead of Australians.

[Sayonarax]

What else is the navy going to do..? Don't you watch sea patrol.

Im sure more "students" are illegal migrant workers than boat people.

[Sayonarax]

Agree Australia cares more for the people arriving ilegally than the Australians sleeping on the streets and begging for food. Thousands of Australians who are doing way far harder than the so called asylum seekers who arrive and are afforded warm dry housing 3 square meals a day, health care, education and money. (all free of charge) The Australian government spends millions on the economic refugees whislt it urinates and laughs at the homeless and sick. This is what irritates a lot of Australians. If they come to this country then get in line behind the homeless spend time on the streets sifting through garbage bins for scraps of food and wait years for a chance at government housing they may just change there minds and see that thier life is actually better where they are.. It is totally disgusting and wrong how they are put ahead of Australians.

Maybe if you pulled your head out of your behind and learn't were these people came from, you might understand, they;ve probably done it worse then a homeless person who's messed up their life cause of drugs or very bad decisions.

Im sure they're laughing you sad man. Don't be petty all your life Geogre. Same goes for the rest of you..

[chooka]

@ Sayonarax -

Not all the homeless people in Australia are drug addicts, they actually make up a small percentage. The majority of the homeless suffer from a mental illness then there are the families waiting on lists for public housing for up to two years. There is a severe shortage of public housing in Australia and the private sector is well out of reach to the homeless. Asylum seekers paying up to $20K AUD for a position on a boat are definately far better off than a lot of Australians. People do not make a lifestyle choice to be homeless and scavage through rubbish bins and to insinuate that the homeless have a better quality of life than those purely seeking a seachange in life is ridiculous.

Those that think this have absolutely know idea of the real world by simply looking out the window of thier warm cosy middle class homes in well to do suburbs. People are doing it harder in Australia than these economic refugees. Instead of refering to homeless people as drug addicts show a little sympathy to your fellow Australians instead of looking down on them in favour of the more fortunate who are gatecrashing the country. I have been involved with a number of homeless people and I know just how hard they are doing it. Did you know that you can't get centrelink payments if you do not have an address?

I have nothing against genuine refugees as long as they go through the proper channels and wait thier turn for placement at least in the refugee camps they are being sheltered and fed unlike a lot of Australians on the streets. You told another poster to get his head out of his rear end, without appearing offensive I think you should do the same.