Australia ‘turns back’ boat carrying asylum-seekers back to Indonesia

Australia last month turned a boat carrying asylum-seekers back to Indonesia, the Prime Minister Tony Abbott's government has implemented a new immigration policy and further straining ties between the neighbours.

The 47 asylum-seekers were found on Indonesia’s southern-most point, Rote Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, on December 19th where their boat had run aground after being intercepted and turned back by the Australian navy, Indonesia’s Antara news agency reported.

An Australian government source confirmed the incident.

Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa addressed the issue on Tuesday.

“I will not comment on a specific incident or on an operational matter,” Mr Natalegawa told reporters in Jakarta. “But on the policy itself, let me once again put on record that Indonesia rejects Australia’s policy to turn back the boats because such a policy is not actually conducive to a comprehensive solution.”

Bilateral relations have been prickly since Mr Abbott took office last September promising to have Australia’s navy turn asylum-seekers away at sea and break the business of people traffickers operating from Indonesian ports.

Ties hit a 13-year low late last year following media reports that Australia had tapped the phones of top Indonesians including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife.

The reports, based on papers leaked by former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, brought co-operation over people-smuggling to a halt as Indonesia suspended joint naval patrols and intelligence-sharing.

The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper said the incident occurred last week and a navy frigate was involved in the tow back.

Reuters