Refugee Boat Timeline to February 6th

by archiearchive FCD

TWO TURNBACKS TODAY

6th FEB

No arrivals reported today.

LATE NEWS

Again, thanks to Marg Hutton

Migrants stranded in Sukabumi, rejected by Australia

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | World | Thu, February 06 2014, 11:40 AM

Dozens of migrants from the Middle East have bcome stranded in Sukabumi after being refused entry by Australia at the immigration detention center in Cisarua, Bogor, West Java. “Around 40 migrants are in the village of Gunungbatu, Ciracap, within a conservation area,” Cikepuh wildlife park head Dulman Effendi said as quoted by Antara on Wednesday.He said the migrants had been found by community security guards on Jan. 16.

Dulman added that the migrants claimed they had reached Christmas Island, but were refused entry by the Australian authorities and sent back to Indonesia. They returned to Indonesia on an orange lifeboat provided by Australia. The boat has now been confiscated by the Indonesian Navy. The migrants then used public transportation to reach Bogor. “All the migrants are adult males,” Dulman added.

This is a different vessel from the one mentioned this morning and could well be one of the vessels mentioned on 31st Jan as “Being pushed back”.

My “towback” count currently is, with people bracketed); 13th Dec (47), 23rd Dec (43), 1st Jan (45), 8th Jan (25), 11th Jan (56), 16th Jan (40), 5th Feb (31). Seven vessels, I have at least one, from 31st Jan unaccounted for.

MORE BREAKING NEWS

I thank Marg Hutton for passing the following on to me. From Merdaka.com, this morning.

Diusir polisi Australia, imigran gelap terdampar di Pangandaran

Translated it says, “Australian police evicted , illegal immigrants stranded in Pangandaran”

Reporter : Mustiana Lestari | Kamis, 6 Februari 2014 09:37

Google has (badly) translated the article for me.

“Dozens of illegal immigrants found stranded on the west coast of Pangandaran , District of Pangandaran , West Java . The immigrants were directly assisted and secured by Tirta Tourism Rescue Agency ( Balawista ) and officers. “They found stranded last night in front of the west coast of Pangandaran Hotel Malabar , ” said Officer Tirta Tourism Rescue Agency ( Balawista ) Pangandaran , Asep Udel as quoted by Antara on Thursday ( 6/2 ) .According to Asep , these immigrants were heading to Australia. Once there , the ship they were confronted by the Australian police . ” Recognition of the immigrants he had crossed the border , but by officers in Australia were told to go back to Indonesian waters , ” said Asep . Finally they returned to Indonesia with the remaining fuel and was stranded at Pangandaran Beach . Of these immigrants , as many as seventeen secured in Pangandaran police headquarters , six people by Polairud Unit Pangandaran and eight people by the Navy . ” Of those who secured no children and pregnant mothers anymore , ” he explained .”

I’m reading that as a vessel which reached Australian waters and was somehow returned to the vicinity of Pangandaran which is North of Christmas Island. I count 31 passengers in the report. I think this makes the sixth confirmed. and possibly does not include the two interceptions being talked about last weekend – probably.

I received a report last night that Ocean Protector had returned to Flying Fish Cove and had men, women and children on board. No reports of them being dis-embarked so they will likely by forced onto an orange lifeboat and towed back to Indonesia.
BEING SENT BACK TO THEIR OPPRESSORS

While preparing this post I found that yesterday’s post about the “Blanket Approach” to repatriating Tamils has been confirmed in the most terrible way!

MEDIA RELEASE (From Refugee Action Collective (Queensland) )

SCREENED OUT TAMILS BEING ROUNDED UP FOR DEPORTATION

Up to 80 Tamil asylum seekers across four Australian detention centres are facing being summarily deported to Sri Lanka.

Tamils in Darwin, Scherger and Christmas Island have been told they are going to be removed and have been told to “pack up and go to property.” In Curtin, 20 Tamils have been locked in a room after they were summoned to a meeting at 7pm Western Australia time.

All the Tamils have been screened out. They have been refused legal assistance and denied any chance to make a protection claim.

The move comes only days after the government failed in its attempts to remove eight screened-out Iranian asylum seekers from Darwin.

“The government is denying basic rights to asylum seekers who came seeking protection from war and persecution in Sri Lanka. The government trying to take them out of the country before they can get a fair hearing of their protection claims,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.

“The government is deliberately rounding up the asylum seekers after hours to avoid any legal action that could scrutinise the screening-out process. The government’s attempt to secretively spirit people out of the country is tantamount to an admission that screening-out is unlawful and cannot be justified.

“We have grave fears for these asylum seekers. Without their protection claims being properly considered, there is no doubt that they are being sent back to danger. The Rajapaksa regime has been internationally condemned because of its human right abuses. Report after report has indicated that the regime is guilty of war crimes.

“Many Tamil asylum seekers that Australia sent back to Sri Lanka are still in jail. Australia is now complicit in the human rights abuses of the Rajapasksa regime.”

The Abbott government’s deportation attempt comes on the same day as Public Interest Advocacy Centre’s [PIAC] international crimes evidence project called for the UN to investigate the responsibility of the Rajapaksa regime for war crimes.

The overnight deportation moves come after unconfirmed reports that 29 Tamil asylum seekers were removed from Christmas Island this, Wednesday, afternoon.

For more information contact Ian Rintoul mob 0417 275 713

Australia to Give Malaysia Boats

The Jakarta Globe is reporting that “Australia to Give Malaysia Boats to Tackle People-Smuggling”

After giving two Bay-class customs patrol vessels to Sri Lanka, the Abbott Government is now giving two more to the Malaysian Government. This is a direct shot at the stateless Rohingya fleeing Burma.

WEATHER FORECASTS

Christmas Island; The monsoon trough lies close to the island. Forecast for the rest of Thursday 6 February A few showers and thunderstorms. Winds: Southwest to northwesterly 5 to 10 knots. Seas: Around 1.0 metre. Swell: South to southwesterly 1.5 to 2.0 metres. Max 29 (BOM)

Flying Fish Cove 5th Feb
Courtesy of Arthur Floret
http://christmas.mondoblog.org/le-fil-du-temps/

Cocos Island; The monsoon trough lies just to the north of the islands. Forecast for the rest of Thursday 6 February Partly cloudy. Winds: South to southeasterly about 10 knots. Seas: About 1.0 metre. Swell: Southerly 1.5 to 2.0 metres. Max 30 (BOM)

Cirabon; 29C, wind; 10-15 Kmh S-SE, showers est 18mm

The weekly figures I have collated.

This will be updated each week.

Holding this week’s update waiting on further info.

To find older information click here

(the dates are all “skewiff” so keep opening “new page” to find recent posts)