Now this is a turn up for the books, who would have thought that the spokesman for the boat load of Sri Lankians detained by the Indonesians is not what he claims to be?
You can bet the Latte Sippers who want to insist that every claimant is Kosher will be trying very hard to avoid even thinking about what the revelation of this chap’s identity and history does to their own credibility on the issue of border protection.
The bearded Tamil, who said he picked up his American accent while working at a call centre, refused to reveal his full name, saying he feared that if he identified himself, his family in Sri Lanka would be targeted. But according to Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry, he is Kulaendrarajah Sanjeev, a 28-year-old people-smuggler who worked out of a base in India.
“Alex”, who led an abortive hunger strike demanding that those on board the boat be granted refugee status, was expelled from Canada in 2003, a Sri Lankan statement said.“Alex had been involved in human-smuggling for a long time and it is believed that his office is based in India,” the statement said.
“His brother, who is now in Canada, is also involved in human-smuggling” and is being sought by Canadian police, it added, giving no further details.“Alex”, or Sanjeev, said the asylum-seekers were in danger in Sri Lanka following the government’s defeat of Tamil rebels earlier this year, although he denied they were rebel separatists.
Our Government certainly does seem to be suffering the fence sitters disease. By trying to please both the rabid open doorers and the blue collar voters who want tougher border security they have ended up with some very big spikes in their arse and unless they decide which side of the fence they want to stand there is no doubt to me that they will lose the support of both groups
They do seem to have extracted a stay of execution from the Indonesians on the 78 refusniks on the Oceanic Viking but I suspect that we will still be watching this drama this time next week. As I see it if these people don’t want to get of our ship then the Australian government should put them onto a plane to Sri Lanka. Give then a simple choice: Indonesia or a quick flight home but under NO circumstances should we allow emotional blackmailers to win here.
Cheers Comrades
Filed under: Australian Politics, ERR???, Ethical questions, Federal politics, Indonesia, Justice, Law, Leftism, Multiculturalism, Political Correctness, Sri Lanka, World Events, human rights, the Law | Tagged: asylum-seekers, Latte Lefties, Oceanic Viking
Give then a simple choice: Indonesia or a quick flight home
Iain, the problem is Indonesia is refusing to take them. Do you realise that under Howard’s policy we would put them on Nauru and eventually taken them? No? Didn’t think so.
As for ‘Alex’, so f…..ing what? What point does it prove that he’s not a refugee but in fact a people smuggler? Don’t you think we’d have found that out anyway if they had made it to Australia.
It’s attitudes like those expressed in your post, Iain, that are the problem here. These are unavoidable situations not of the Government’s making yet you want to play politics with it and your only solution is “send ‘em all back”.
We’ve argued about this so many times I’m sick of it. Asylum seekers do exist, Iain, and we do take them. We always have. It’s only became an issue when the racist John Howard made it one in 2001 in a desperate attempt to win an election – and it worked because it appealed to the bigots in the swinging voter group that decides elections.
It’s all you Liberals have got though, isn’t it? Play the old fear & race card. It’s pathetic really.
I am working on a solution to this problem of the boat peoples Iain and I will make it the subject of my next post (just so Cwaigy doesn’t think iI’m nuthing but a truble maker). You will be very surprised with what I have come up with and we can make money from this idea and project too.
Well that could be very interesting Socky I am sure that a chap of your experience could work out just how Brother Number One can solve the problem and create world peace as well!
Oh and give my regards to yer Dad when you next visit mate
I will blow the lid of the boats people Iain (not literaturely just figure of speech talking). My idea is so good you will not believe it has not been done before.
Dad is trying to make friends with Carl now so he can get some money from him to help finance this project of mine. I said, “Dad as long as it does not mean drugs and as long as you do not give in to his poof demands I will gladly take Carls money” – he’s got plenty.
I think Iain’s subtle point of these people “not being on the up and up”, is a legit one, and one I mentioned all too long ago.
These people are desperate, and will try anything for their chance at the golden honey pot ! (Australia), lying is a minor crime in the grand scheme of things.
We are naive, certainly, but the thought of rejecting someone, who then spends the rest of their lives in a prison cell, is not worthy of thinking about.
Talking about “dammed if you do, and dammed if you don’t ?”
I think I’ll wait for SockPuppet’s post. He might make more sense.