» 08/10/2012 10:27 INDONESIA - AUSTRALIA Canberra rescues over 200 refugees, set sail from Indonesia All seek political asylum in Australian territory. On board the boat, intercepted off Christmas Island, citizens from Sri Lanka, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Controversy in Australia about the condition of vehicles used to patrol. In 2012 more than 7 thousand refugees received.
Jakarta (AsiaNews
/ Agencies) - Authorities in Canberra rescued more than 200 refugees, who set
sail onboard a makeshift boat from the Indonesia in search of a refuge and
political asylum on Australian soil. Official
sources confirm that the national coast guard is facing a real emergency in an
attempt to stem the tide of boat people. In
order to reach the people in time the Navy had to push their vessels to the
limits, succeeding to rescue about 211 people adrift near the Christmas Island
in Indonesian waters, through a much used route to reach - not without enormous risks - the coasts of
Australia.
Chris
Bowen, Australian Minister for Immigration, said that "the boat was
rescued by the Australian navy" because it encountered "great
difficulty". Today's
is the largest recovery operation, for the number of persons contained on board
a single boat. This
year alone at least 7 thousand boat people are able to reach the coasts of
Australia, for a total of 108 boats. Higher
than the record level in 2010 with 6,555 landings; last year 4,565 refugees
arrived.
Among
the nationalities on board, according to the minister in Canberra, are citizens
of Sri Lanka, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Meanwhile,
the controversy rages in Australia about the conditions of the vessels used to
help the refugees. It
has emerged that the ship was damaged with serious cracks near the engine and
on the bridge. The
authorities have not ruled out opening an investigation, and have ordered a
check on all 14 vessels comprising the fleet.
The
waters that separate Indonesia and Christmas islands are a beaten track for refugees
and asylum seekers who transit through Indonesia and with the help of
unscrupulous traffickers try to get by every means to Australia. The
continent is a popular destination for ordinary people, persecuted, political
prisoners, or poor people trying to escape from a theater of war. The
boats used for transportation, however, are inadequate, overcrowded and in poor
condition for navigation. In
December 2010 50 people died when their boat sank off the island.
