By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania
CANBERRA, Australia – Australia’s Immigration Department announced that the maximum capacity of the detention facility at Christmas Island has been reached.
The latest arrival of asylum seekers has caused Christmas Island to exceed its capacity. As a result, the government has set up tents in order to accommodate the increase.
The facility on Christmas Island can hold up to 1,550 individuals, and the tents can hold an additional 160.
On Thursday afternoon Australian border protection authorities intercepted a boat, which carried asylum seekers. This is the third boat this week and the 54th this year, to arrive in Australia’s waters.
Since December 6th, 156 passengers and crew members have been detained and taken to Christmas Island for security, identity, and health checks.
Opposition lawmakers anticipate that the situation will become increasingly worse if this continues. The decision to put individuals in tents “highlights the manifest failure of [Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s] policy”.
Scott Morrison, the opposition’s immigration spokesman, stated that Christmas Island will become a “tent city”.
“Christmas Island is now overcapacity and these desperate people will be spending the hot summer months on Christmas Island under tents.”
Refugee groups have called on the government to close the detention facility and to bring the asylum seekers to the mainland for processing.
In the meantime, more immigrants are expected to arrive. In order to ease the situation, temporary buildings are being shipped to Christmas Island.
The Immigration Department plans to expand the $400 million detention facility.
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard rejected claims that the government has weakened its border controls and has thus caused the increase of individuals seeking asylum.
She noted that the administration has increased its presence and tightened border security. Even in doing so, boats carrying asylum seekers are bound to pass through.
Many blame the increase in asylum seekers on the ongoing conflicts in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Every year Australia grants approximately 13,000 visas to refugees under official humanitarian policies.
For more information please see:
Voice of America – Controversial Australian Detention Camp Overflows Amid Rush of Boatpeople – 12 December 2009
Bloomberg – Australia Intercepts Third Asylum Boat This Week, Expands Camp – 11 December 2009
Sydney Morning Herald – Asylum seekers being forced into tents – 11 December 2009
