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Cooperation between the two countries a success, says Australian envoy
View(s):Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Robyn Mudie said that close cooperation between the two countries in combatting human smuggling is paying off with no boats carrying illegal migrants reaching Australian territory this year.
Robyn Mudie. Pic by Indika Handuwala
Following are excerpts of the email interview with High Commissioner Mudie on the issue:-
- Sri Lanka and Australia have been working together to combat human trafficking and people smuggling. Is Australia satisfied with what SLG has done to combat this trend?
Yes, Sri Lanka is one of Australia’s most important regional partners in the fight against the people-smuggling trade. Australia values its close and long-standing bilateral relationship with Sri Lanka across many different fields, including our cooperation to combat people smuggling.
Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton visited Sri Lanka in May this to thank the Sri Lankan government for its continued cooperation to defeat people smuggling and to further strengthen ties between our two countries.
Since Operation Sovereign Borders commenced in 2013, every single Sri Lankan people smuggling boat that has attempted to come to Australia has failed.
This is an excellent demonstration of the closeness of our cooperation and we greatly appreciate the work the Sri Lankan Government has done in this regard.
- What kind of assistance has the Australian Government extended to Sri Lanka over the years to combat the growing numbers heading to Australia in boats?
During the visit by former Prime Minister Abbott to Colombo for CHOGM, Australia gifted two ex-ACBPS Bay Class patrol vessels to the Sri Lankan Navy to assist it in conducting search and rescue activities and combatting people smuggling.
- What areas do you think SLG needs to address to put a stop to people taking this risky method of leaving the country?
We are engaging closely with the Sri Lankan government to bring a complete stop to the people smuggling trade. We cooperate on people smuggling through the Sri Lanka-Australia Joint Working Group on People Smuggling and Other Transnational Crime. This forum enables Sri Lanka and Australia, including law enforcement and border protection agencies to discuss practical measures to improve cooperation.
- How many Sri Lankans have illegally entered Australian territory last year and so far for this year how many are waiting processing?
There was only one suspected illegal entry vessel arrival in 2014 and those aboard that boat were transferred to the country of Nauru for their cases to be processed.
None however will ever be allowed to settle in Australia. There have been no illegal boat arrivals in Australia this year. The message is getting through – if you illegally get on a boat to Australia, there is no way you will set foot in Australia. On this we have been very clear.
- Will the new Australian Government continue to co-operate with the SLG on this issue?
Absolutely. As Prime Minister Turnbull has made clear, there has been no change in Australia’s policy. We are confident that the strong cooperation between our two countries will continue.
And importantly this cooperation exists across a wide range of fields including education, development, trade and investment and our longstanding people-to-people links.