By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

CANBERRA, Australia –Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd agreed to cooperate on people smuggling after meeting today in Jakarta.

At a meeting following Yudhoyono’s inauguration to a second five-year term, Australia sought Indonesia’s assistance in controlling the number of refugees attempting to enter the country.  The two countries anticipate that asylum seekers will continue to seek refuge in Australia as the year comes to a close.

Cooperation is necessary because people smuggling involves the entire region, not just one or two countries.  Not only must the country of origin be involved, but the transit and destination countries must also be involved in order to settle the problem.

Over the next few weeks, officials from the immigration office, navy and the police will set forth guidelines to deal with boats intercepted in international waters.  The framework will provide a way for the governments to facilitate the resolution of people smuggling issues in the future so that they may avoid doing so on an ad hoc basis.

Officials will report to the President and the Prime Minister at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to be held in Singapore this November.

The countries did not establish the type of assistance that Indonesia would need to prevent people from trying to enter Australia.

There have also been reports that Australia will pay Indonesia incentive payments in order to stop people smuggling, but Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans has dismissed these reports as “speculation”.

The Government claims that Indonesia has used its police, immigration department and other agencies in the past to assist Australia in putting an end to people smuggling.

Evans indicated that Australia would provide funding to the UN’s refugee agency.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s administration and the opposition party have engaged in serious debate over the appropriate measures to address people smuggling.

Currently, there are approximately 255 Sri Lankans being held in Indonesia.  Australian Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said that it is up to Indonesia, not Australia, to determine the fate of these individuals.

For more information, please see:
ABC News – Asylum seekers deal temporary: Indonesia – 21 October 2009

The Australian – Asylum-seeker incentive offer ‘speculation’ – 21 October 2009

Kompas.com – Framework Needed by Australia and Indonesia over People Smuggling – 21 October 2009

Bloomberg – Indonesia, Australia Boost Cooperation Against People Smuggling – 20 October 2009