Australia stresses importance of ‘Operation Sovereign Borders’

 warns of deeper consequences for region if Lanka crisis continues

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Opposition lawmaker Weerasumana Weerasinghe yesterday (24) said the current economic crisis had compelled most Sri Lankans to migrate even risking their lives in some cases.The Matara District Communist Party MP said that the never ending queue at the Passport Office indicated that those who had lost all hope here were trying to leave the country. However, a significant number of people, in some instances whole families, were risking their lives to reach developed countries. The MP was commenting on the latest detection made by the Navy, off the western coast.

The Navy Thursday (23) evening intercepted a fishing trawler carrying a group of persons seeking asylum in Australia. Navy headquarters said that five smugglers were among 35 persons arrested in the seas off Panadura. The arrested would be asylum seekers comprised 29 adults and six children.

The Navy said the inspection of the vessel indicated that it hadn’t been in a condition to undertake a long sea voyage.

The Navy said that the arrested, aged 06 to 56, were residents of Trincomalee, Mannar, Batticaloa, Negombo, Kalpitiya and Nuwara Eliya and they were handed over to the Colombo Harbour Police.Lawmaker Weerasinghe alleged that the people should be mindful of racketeers who passed information to authorities after collecting money from would-be asylum seekers. The MP urged the government to address issues at hand or face a major crisis. Dozens of boats carrying Sri Lankan Tamils have reached Tamil Nadu during the past few months.

The Panadura detection was the first since a top Australian delegation held talks at the Defence Headquarters Complex, at Pelawatte, on Monday (20) with the defence hierarchy here. Australia, a member of the ‘Quad’ allianc, comprising the US, Japan and India, intended to meet the perceived growing Chinese challenge in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Australian delegation was led by Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security, Clare O’Neil MP while Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne headed the Sri Lankan delegation. It was O’Neil’s first overseas visit in her new capacity, following federal election in late May this year. The Labour Party won the election after being in the Opposition for almost a decade.

The Australian delegation included Australian Border Force Commissioner Michael Outram APM, Commander of the Joint Agency Task Force Rear Admiral Justin Jones, Commander, Transnational Operations of Australian Federal Police Richard Chin, Ambassador and Assistant Secretary of People Smuggling and Human Trafficking Branch Lucienne Manton, Australian High Commissioner in Colombo David Holly and the Deputy HC Amanda Jewell.

The Australian delegation arrived here in the wake of the Navy intercepting a fishing trawler carrying dozens of illegal migrants to Australia, the fifth such attempt to be blocked in May.

During discussions here, Minister O’Neil repeatedly emphasized that there was no change in Australia’s border protection policies or Operation Sovereign Borders launched in 2013. In spite the change of government, Australia would continue to sustain the controversial operation meant to thwart illegal immigration. Minister O’Neil, during discussions with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, emphasized the new government’s resolve to curb human smuggling.

In line with overall Australian strategy to prevent Sri Lanka becoming a launch pad for people smugglers’ boats, Australia has also sponsored Sri Lanka Navy participation in the US hosted RIMPAC Exercise 2022 to enhance cooperation. The 50-member SLN group comprising 48 marines and two Special Boat Squadron (SBS) personnel has been assigned to HMAS Canberra of the Royal Australian Navy for a two weeks acclimatization programme and would subsequently leave for Hawaiian Islands and Southern California, United States, onboard HMAS Canberra for RIMPAC 2022. The exercise is scheduled to commence on July 04.

MP Weerasinghe said that recent assistance provided by Australia should be examined taking into consideration its determination to stop asylum seekers from Sri Lanka and also the overall Western strategy. All four Quad navies are participating in the exercise.Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in a brief statement that coincided with Minister O’Neil’s visit explained the measures taken by them to assist Sri Lanka mitigate the current economic crisis.Accordingly, Sri Lanka would receive $50 million in Official Development Assistance (ODA) to meet urgent food and healthcare needs.Minister Wing asserted that Sri Lanka currently faced its worst economic crisis in seventy years, leading to shortages of food, medicine and fuel.

Minister Wong said: “Australia has a close and long-standing relationship with Sri Lanka. Not only do we want to help the people of Sri Lanka in its time of need, there are also deeper consequences for the region if this crisis continues. We will contribute an immediate $22 million to the World Food Programme for emergency food assistance to help three million people in Sri Lanka meet their daily nutritional needs. Australia will also provide $23 million in development assistance to Sri Lanka in 2022-23.This will support health services, and economic recovery, with a strong emphasis on protecting those at risk, especially women and girls. These contributions are in addition to $5 million recently provided to United Nations agencies for Sri Lanka.”