Paige Taylor & Paul Maley; 4/2/10; (2 Items)
Congestion eased slightly on Christmas Island yesterday when visas were granted to 89 asylum-seekers and they were flown to the mainland on a charter flight. But the exodus still leaves 1697 asylum-seekers on the Indian Ocean outpost, including 147 children. About 200 remain in tents at the detention centre as the Department of Immigration works towards its goal of increasing capacity to 2300. There are 16 Indonesian crew also in detention on the island, including a teenage boy. Those who received protection visas yesterday included 65 Afghans, eight Sri Lankans and a Pakistani.
See: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/detention-crowding-eases/story-e6frg6nf-1225826524045; http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/no-coercion-on-tamils-nz/story-e6frg6nf-1225826524128
Navy was ‘heroic’ at explosion
Lindsay Murdoch; 4/2/10
A Navy officer has defended the actions of Australian Defence Force personnel after a boat exploded near Ashmore Reef, killing five asylum seekers, saying it was lucky no Australian died. Lieutenant Commander Brett Westcott, the officer in charge at the scene, told a coroner’s inquest that he sincerely regretted the loss of lives of the Afghan men “however I think we did everything that was humanly possible to save lives”. Asked about a policy for defence personnel to rescue their colleagues before civilians, including asylum seekers, Lieutenant Colonel Westcott said he was not aware of it at the time of the explosion last April. But he told the Northern Territory coroner Greg Cavanagh he “appreciated the policy fully and at a subconscious level he expected it”.
See: http://www.smh.com.au/national/navy-was-heroic-at-explosion-20100203-ndj2.html
Tags: Australia, Human Rights, Migrants & Refugees