|
Stories
 PNG
'illegals' flooding Torres Strait (10 November 2009)
PNG
'illegals' flooding Torres Strait (10 November 2009)
Papua New
Guineans are pouring into islands in the Torres Strait, flouting
immigration laws, running drugs, terrorising people and overwhelming
local health and basic services.
Community leaders, including the chairman of the federal government's
Torres Strait Regional Authority, John Kris, have accused the Department
of Immigration of turning a blind eye to the worsening problem north of
Cape York, with the political debate instead focusing attention on boat
arrivals in the Indian Ocean.
“They are not policing the border . . . . it is difficult to know how
many people are coming across," Mr Kris told The Australian.
”There has been too much focus put on the boat arrivals and not enough
attention on the Torres Strait, where more people are moving into these
waters.”
Some communities have recently taken matters into their own hands by
“losing the borders” to visitors - some of whom they claim roam
islands armed with machetes and who are either not eligible for or have
overstayed free movement provisions extended to some villages in the
Western Province of PNG.
The Torres Strait Treaty, signed 30 years ago, allows traditional
activities to continue between specified villages on both sides of the
border.
But documents obtained by The Australian early last year showed that the
government was already aware that thousands of PNG citizens were
illegally crossing the border. The Torres Strait Island Regional
Council, which represents 14 islands, says little has been done, with
some communities having "in excess of 500 PNG nationals turn
up" without warning, draining the local water supply.
“Immigration turns a blind eye to the fact that 'overstayers' are on
the island; their inaction in dealing with the problem makes a mockery
of the treaty,” Mayor Fred Gela told a Senate inquiry.
“Immigration must start to do their job.”
Mr Gela told the Senate that PNG nationals were stealing, running drugs
and sly-grogging, and had even been suspected of abducting local women.
The Senate inquiry has also heard warnings of biodiversity and health
risks to Australia, with some figures suggesting one in five PNG
villagers who cross the Torres Strait have tuberculosis.
There were 59,000 recorded movements between the two countries last
financial year.
Queensland Liberal senator Sue Boyce, who sits on the inquiry committee,
last week wrote to Kevin Rudd, saying the federal and state governments
were ignoring the problem.
“Ignoring these Australians and leaving them to their fate is not an
option and, in fact, it would be an international disgrace if no action
was taken to secure their safety and protection,” she wrote.
In its submission, the federal Department of Health said it was
providing services to visitors on humanitarian grounds despite travel
not being permitted for health purposes under the treaty? The
Australian
|
