Rudd wants people smugglers to 'rot in hell'

ABC - April 17, 2009, 2:12 pm

 

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has condemned people smugglers in the wake of yesterday's fatal boat blast, saying they are the "absolute scum of the earth" and should "rot in hell".

 

Three asylum seekers were killed in the blast, two are missing and at least a dozen are being treated in hospital for serious injuries. 22 casualties being treated in Perth; 8 in Darwin; 1 in BroomeAnother 13 survivors with minor injuries to arrive in Darwin on HMAS AlbanyThree confirmed dead, two still missingAuthorities say most of the seriously injured are males from AfghanistanNT Police say no women or children on boardBodies of three dead victims to be examined by NT coroner

 

Mr Rudd has lashed out at people smugglers and defended the Government's efforts to stop them.

 

"People smugglers are engaged in the world's most evil trade and they should all rot in jail because they represent the absolute scum of the earth," he said.

 

"People smugglers are the vilest form of human life. They trade on the tragedy of others and that's why they should rot in jail and in my own view, rot in hell.

 

"We see this lowest form of human life at work in what we saw on the high seas yesterday.

 

"That's why this Government maintains its hardline, tough, targeted approach to maintaining border protection for Australia."

 

The Government has been under pressure to detail how the explosion happened after Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett said those onboard had doused the boat in petrol.

 

But Mr Rudd says the cause will not be known until the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Northern Territory Police finish their investigation.

 

"I will not be speculating on the cause of the explosion today until that investigation is concluded. I believe that to be the right and responsible action," he said.

 

Mr Rudd says 18 AFP staff have been deployed in Darwin and Perth to assist NT Police.

 

But he would not say how long it might take for investigations to be completed.

 

"We intend to do this in a transparent fashion," he said.

 

Earlier today Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull said the Government's policies had led to a rise in people smugglers targeting Australia.

 

But Mr Rudd says the increase in boats is because of global events.

 

"There are global factors at work here, global factors concerning security which are leading to additional push factors around the world and we have to respond to that with all our resources," he said.

 

Mr Rudd also said the Government would release any pictures or video from the scene of the explosion to the public in a "reasonable timeframe".

 

 

 

Taken from Yahoo!7 in wake of the explosion of a people smuggling boat in the waters of Australia's Northern Territory.

 

4 of the badly injured are due to arrive in Brisbane for treatment at the Royal Brisbane Hospital to spread the load.

 

 

 

Boat blast probe 'will take months'

April 17, 2009, 7:55 pm

 

Two Indonesians who survived a blast on a boat carrying Afghan asylum seekers to Australia will be critical witnesses as police try to determine the cause.

 

News that the two survived came as Indonesian authorities said they'd arrested another boatload of Afghan migrants near Jakarta, seeking to sail illegally to Australia.

 

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Friday labelled people smugglers "the scum of the earth" and said they deserved to "rot in hell" for their crimes.

 

As Mr Rudd stressed the need for Australia, Indonesia and other nations to cooperate to fight people smuggling, Northern Territory police leading the probe into Thursday's boat blast in Australian waters revealed two Indonesians were among those on board.

 

"Two people are Indonesian," said NT Police Assistant Commissioner Mark McAdie, who is leading the investigation into the incident.

 

Hospital officials said one Indonesian was being treated in Perth, and another in Darwin.

 

They were among 44 people who survived Thursday's blast, a day after their wooden boat was intercepted by the navy in Australian waters reportedly on an illegal voyage from Indonesia.

 

The explosion sank the vessel. Three of those aboard died and two remain missing.

 

Navy Lieutenant Commander Barry Learoyd, who on Friday addressed reporters about the mission to rescue the survivors, said others on the vessel said they were Afghanis.

 

He said all 49 people on the boat had been thrown into the sea and the crew of the navy vessels HMAS Albany and HMAS Childers had faced some "pretty horrific" scenes as they pulled injured survivors to safety.

 

"The scenes were pretty horrific," he told reporters in Darwin.

 

"We had a number of people injured and certainly there were a number of people who were deceased."

 

Mr McAdie, who is leading an investigation that also involves Australian Federal Police and West Australian police, told reporters every witness would be interviewed to determine what caused the blast.

 

That process began with interviews with defence personnel on Friday.

 

But he warned no findings would be made public until the coroner had completed an official coronial inquiry, adding that could take months.

 

"We expect this to be lengthy," he said.

 

The bodies of the three people killed were taken to Darwin aboard navy vessels today. Mr McAdie said post-mortem examinations would be carried out on the weekend.

 

He said forensic officers had taken possession of clothing from injured asylum seekers being treated at Royal Darwin Hospital.

 

"(The officers) are looking for evidence of what happened on the boat," he said.

 

West Australian Premier Colin Barnett on Thursday said he'd been advised that asylum seekers aboard the boat doused the vessel in fuel before the explosion.

 

The government has not confirmed that but has promised the investigation will look at all possibilities.

 

Mr Rudd on Friday promised the timely release of facts as they come to light.

 

"As each fact is determined and established we will make that public," he said. "But prior to that I do not intend to engage in speculation on what might or may not be the case."

 

Mr McAdie said the investigation would be difficult because "parts of the crime scene are in deep water at 250 metres".

 

"The starting point is to treat these deaths as suspicious deaths and since we have not spoken with any witnesses we have no insights into what happened," he said.

 

Mr McAdie confirmed the search for the two missing asylum seekers was continuing, adding: "We have grave fears for the two people".

 

He said there was debris in the water and a team had been sent to collect what they could before it disappeared.

 

Mr Rudd deflected opposition claims that his government's softer policies on immigration detention were to blame for a recent spike in illegal boat arrivals.

 

He said Australia was experiencing a "global phenomenon" of rising numbers of refugees fleeing nations affected by civil unrest and war, and stressed that international cooperation was vital.

 

"The ability for us to work effectively with Indonesia and Malaysia and a whole range of other countries, is as critical in this fight as anything else," he said.

 

"This is a fight on many fronts. It is a fight which we have been engaged in for some time and a fight which other countries around the world are equally engaged in with us."

 

His comments came as Indonesian authorities said they had arrested 68 Afghan migrants allegedly planning to sail to Australia.

 

The Afghans were apprehended without proper travel documents at a hotel at the beach resort of Anyer, near the capital Jakarta, on Friday.

 

"The 68 Afghan citizens will be picked up by immigration officials this afternoon," Cilegon district police chief Dwi Gunawan was quoted by the state-run Antara news agency. They planned to travel to Australia, he said.

 

However, a spokesman for Indonesia's immigration department told AAP the group's plans and intentions were still under investigation. He declined to comment further.

 

Indonesia has long been a transit country for asylum seekers seeking to reach Australia, but has yet to specifically outlaw people smuggling, despite promising Australia it would do so.

 

At least five of those injured in Thursday's blast are on life support, and all 44 who survived are receiving medical care in Darwin, Perth or Broome.

 

Many have very serious burns.

 

Five navy personnel were luckier. They've been treated for minor injuries caused by the blast.

 

Also from Yahoo!7

 

 

The Opposition blames the Rudd government for the softening of detention laws for the rise in boats coming to Australia, rudd blames the global factors.

 

What is your take on the global people smuggling trade? Rudd's comments on them rotting in hell? and is it really global factors that push the migrants towards certain countries or is it that they are seen as a soft touch?

-_- And more are on the way.

 

More boat people on the way: govt

April 18, 2009, 6:40 am

 

It's been revealed that the Australian Federal Police (AFP) warned Prime Minister Kevin Rudd just weeks ago that the government's border protection laws are making Australia a magnet for people smuggling.

 

The Daily Telegraph newspaper says the warning came in secret intelligence briefings prepared by the AFP that were delivered to senior government ministers.

 

The AFP also expressed reservations last year as the Rudd government ended the Howard government's approach to border protection.

 

Federal Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus refused to release details of the AFP intelligence, the paper says.

 

In another development, authorities are believed to be tracking another boatload of asylum seekers en route to Australia.

 

Government sources told the Sydney Morning Herald on Friday that another boat had been under surveillance for about two days and would be intercepted once it entered Australian waters.

 

Meanwhile, two Indonesians who survived a blast on a boat carrying Afghan asylum seekers to Australia will be critical witnesses as police try to determine the cause.

 

News that the two survived came as Indonesian authorities said they'd arrested another boatload of Afghan migrants near Jakarta, seeking to sail illegally to Australia.

 

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Friday labelled people smugglers "the scum of the earth" and said they deserved to "rot in hell" for their crimes.

 

As Mr Rudd stressed the need for Australia, Indonesia and other nations to cooperate to fight people smuggling, Northern Territory police leading the probe into Thursday's boat blast in Australian waters revealed two Indonesians were among those on board.

 

"Two people are Indonesian," said NT Police Assistant Commissioner Mark McAdie, who is leading the investigation into the incident.

 

Hospital officials said one Indonesian was being treated in Perth, and another in Darwin.

 

They were among 44 people who survived Thursday's blast, a day after their wooden boat was intercepted by the navy in Australian waters reportedly on an illegal voyage from Indonesia.

 

The explosion sank the vessel. Three of those aboard died and two remain missing.

 

Navy Lieutenant Commander Barry Learoyd, who on Friday addressed reporters about the mission to rescue the survivors, said others on the vessel said they were Afghanis.

 

He said all 49 people on the boat had been thrown into the sea and the crew of the navy vessels HMAS Albany and HMAS Childers had faced some "pretty horrific" scenes as they pulled injured survivors to safety.

 

"The scenes were pretty horrific," he told reporters in Darwin.

 

"We had a number of people injured and certainly there were a number of people who were deceased."

 

The boat had been intercepted by navy patrol boats near Ashmore Reef off the northwest coast of WA early on Wednesday.

 

Navy personnel gave the asylum seekers food and water.

 

A 'high threat' was called on the Childers, indicating that something was wrong, minutes before the explosion.

 

"We were told high threat was called and we were actually in the vicinity and close to Childers to support Childers," Lieutenant Commander Learoyd said.

 

At least five of those injured in Thursday's blast are on life support, and all 44 who survived are receiving medical care in Darwin, Perth or Broome.

 

Many have very serious burns.

 

Five navy personnel were luckier. They've been treated for minor injuries caused by the blast.

 

Mr McAdie, who is leading an investigation that also involves Australian Federal Police and West Australian police, told reporters every witness would be interviewed to determine what caused the blast.

 

That process began with interviews with defence personnel on Friday.

 

But he warned no findings would be made public until the coroner had completed an official coronial inquiry, adding that could take months.

 

"We expect this to be lengthy," he said.

 

The bodies of the three people killed were taken to Darwin aboard navy vessels on Friday. Mr McAdie said post-mortem examinations would be carried out on the weekend.

 

He said forensic officers had taken possession of clothing from injured asylum seekers being treated at Royal Darwin Hospital.

 

"(The officers) are looking for evidence of what happened on the boat," he said.

 

West Australian Premier Colin Barnett on Thursday said he'd been advised that asylum seekers aboard the boat doused the vessel in fuel before the explosion.

 

The government has not confirmed that but has promised the investigation will look at all possibilities.

 

Mr Rudd on Friday promised the timely release of facts as they come to light.

 

"As each fact is determined and established we will make that public," he said. "But prior to that I do not intend to engage in speculation on what might or may not be the case."

 

Mr McAdie said the investigation would be difficult because "parts of the crime scene are in deep water at 250 metres".

 

"The starting point is to treat these deaths as suspicious deaths and since we have not spoken with any witnesses we have no insights into what happened," he said.

 

Mr McAdie confirmed the search for the two missing asylum seekers was continuing, adding: "We have grave fears for the two people".

 

He said there was debris in the water and a team had been sent to collect what they could before it disappeared.

 

Mr Rudd deflected opposition claims that his government's softer policies on immigration detention were to blame for a recent spike in illegal boat arrivals.

 

He said Australia was experiencing a "global phenomenon" of rising numbers of refugees fleeing nations affected by civil unrest and war, and stressed that international cooperation was vital.

 

"The ability for us to work effectively with Indonesia and Malaysia and a whole range of other countries, is as critical in this fight as anything else," he said.

 

"This is a fight on many fronts. It is a fight which we have been engaged in for some time and a fight which other countries around the world are equally engaged in with us."

 

His comments came as Indonesian authorities said they had arrested 68 Afghan migrants allegedly planning to sail to Australia.

 

The Afghans were apprehended without proper travel documents at a hotel at the beach resort of Anyer, near the capital Jakarta, on Friday.

 

"The 68 Afghan citizens will be picked up by immigration officials this afternoon (Saturday)," Cilegon district police chief Dwi Gunawan was quoted by the state-run Antara news agency. They planned to travel to Australia, he said.

 

However, a spokesman for Indonesia's immigration department told AAP the group's plans and intentions were still under investigation. He declined to comment further.

 

The leader of the 68 Afghan migrants told ABC's Lateline program many of the group began their journey from Afghanistan to Australia while John Howard was in power.

 

"They are saying that we love Australia, we want to come to Australia," asylum seekers spokesman Nur Abdul Hassan Hussaini told the ABC.

 

"All of them are from Afghanistan , refugees, they have travelled. They came from different countries here by boat, by car. They have spent two or three weeks in the jungle, living."

 

The group is asking to be transferred from the care of Indonesian immigration authorities into the care of the International Organisation for Migration .

 

Indonesia has long been a transit country for asylum seekers seeking to reach Australia, but has yet to specifically outlaw people smuggling, despite promising Australia it would do so.

 

Those that do actually reach the shore at the top of West Australia and Northern Territory have no idea what they let them selves in for. That corner of Australia is, well, horrific. The nearest proper settlement of people is Darwin or Perth. Both are some distance away from the East coast where over 75% of the population lives. The outback is not the place to be without food, water or medical supplies. I really honest to god doubt many of the refugees survive and even fewer live a life better than back home.