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News > World

Australia Migrant Smuggler 'Bribery' Allegations Deepen

  • Prime Minister Tony Abbott says his government will do “whatever is necessary within the law” to keep undocumented asylum seekers from reaching Australian shores.

    Prime Minister Tony Abbott says his government will do “whatever is necessary within the law” to keep undocumented asylum seekers from reaching Australian shores. | Photo: Reuters

Published 17 June 2015
Opinion

Indonesia says it wants answers from Canberra over whether Australian officials paid migrant smugglers to turn around on the high seas.

Indonesian police revealed Wednesday what they say is evidence that Australian authorities allegedly resorted to “bribery” to turn back an asylum seeker vessel.

The captain of an asylum seeker vessel, Yohanes Humiang, claimed he and his crew were given US$31,000 in cash by Australian authorities who intercepted them at sea earlier this month. The interception allegedly took place when Humiang's vessel packed full of asylum seekers was heading to Australia from West Java.

“I told the Australian man we needed money so that we could return to our wives and children. He said 'OK, we'll help you.' As captain, I got (US)$6,000, the five crew got (US)$5,000 each,” Humiang told Al Jazeera.

Now in Indonesian custody, the captain claimed that along with receiving cash, he was provided with new boats to carry the asylum seekers, some basic food and emergency supplies, before setting sail for Indonesia.

During the interview with Al Jazeera, Humiang was accompanied by Indonesian police, who displayed wads of U.S. dollars – the exact bills allegedly handed over by the Australians.

“According to our law this is bribery. This is illegal,” Endang Sunjaya, the head of Indonesian regional police stated.

Indonesian police have provided photographs of both the cash and the boat allegedly provided to Humiang to Australia's public broadcaster, ABC.

The ABC has reported it also received documents detailing allegations that Australian customs authorities registered Humiang's crew and asylum seeker passengers, before ordering them to turn around.

The new evidence provided to Al Jazeera and ABC is just the latest chapter in the growing scandal, which has left relations between Indonesia and Australia at their lowest levels in years. Legal experts have suggested if Australian authorities did bribe Humiang and his crew, it could make the government in Canberra complicit in people smuggling.

Australian politicians have already moved to downplay the latest revelations. Social Services Minister Scott Morrison – who was immigration minister at the time the alleged bribery took place – has responded by stating, “I'm not surprised that people make allegations.”

“We've always done things lawfully and we will continue to do that,” he said according to SBS, without specifically stating whether Humiang was paid off.

The comments came after Indonesia's vice president, Jusuf Kalla, accused the Australian government earlier this week of failing to provide a straight answer on the bribery allegations.

According to ABC, he stated it's “actually not so hard for Australia to answer the question.” He also said, "Bribing is of course not according with the ethics of international relationships."

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has responded by stating, “The only thing that really counts is: have we stopped the boats? And the answer is a resounding yes.”

In 2013, Abbott rode to power with a promise to crack down on people smugglers. Since being elected, his government has imposed hardline anti-refugee policies he says have curbed people smuggling, but have been derided by human rights groups as inhumane.

Abbott also claimed Monday that despite a flurry of frustration from Jakarta over the latest scandal, “The great thing about stopping the boats is that has very much improved our relationship with Indonesia.”

“We will do whatever is necessary within the law, consistent with our standards as a decent and humane society, to stop the boats because... that's the moral thing to do,” he said.

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