Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia

InƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Oct. 2009, asylum seekers were in the news. A boat carrying 250 people were intercepted by the Indonesian Navy on the advise of Australia. The same week two vessels with 270ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  en route to Australia were in distress and were rescued by Malaysian and Indonesian authorities.
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The passengers were all Tamil and children speaking fluent English before TV cameras said that for years they were hiding in the jungles of Sri Lanka due to the war. But they did’nt appear to be malnourished and people became curious as to how they learnt English in the Jungles. Subsequently, they claimed that they paid up to US $ 15,000 andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the trip and was subsidized by the LTTE while the others were hardcore cadres.
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Bogus boat people are back in the news. Last week, ‘MV Sun Sea’ was sailing from Thailand to Canada with 200 on board.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Australian papersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and media claimed that they were Tamils with possible links to Tiger terrorists. Because reports revealed that ‘Sun Sea’ was a vessel whichƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  belonged to the fleet of LTTE ships used for transporting arms and armamentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In the past, it had been used for gun running by the LTTE because Thai authorities had found traces of explosives in the ship.
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Initially, it was meant to end up in Australia because the former Australian Prime Minister Kevin RuddƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  was a ‘softie’ on Tamil asylum seekers. Recently, after hisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  popularity ratings plummeted, Ms.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Julia Gillard took over. LastƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ week with regard to asylum seekers she talked ‘tough’ and said, “…the conditions in Sri Lanka had improvedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for minority Tamils since the conclusion of the war. Sri Lankan Tamils who take a difficult and dangerous boat ride to Australia, may have to go back to Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by return plane…” Australia had changed their stance because of elections next month.

So advised by those supporting bogus asylum seekers such as, Human Rights, Amnesty International, International organisations, Peace Councils etc., the boat changed coast and is now heading for Canada, as she is ‘soft’ on Tamil asylum seekers. These bogus asylum seekers are jumping the queue and not giving genuine asylum seekers from deserving countries a chance.

If a boat load of Al Qaeda supporters arrive in Australia, Canada or US as refugeesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ will they be given asylum?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The boat would have been torpedoed saying they are terrorists. Why asylum status only for LTTE backers?
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If anyone, make inquiries about these bogus asylum seekers arriving in the ‘Sun Sea’,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ they will probably be supporters of the LTTE and its hardcore cadres. The LTTE, the number one terrorist outfit, which killed an Indian Prime Minister, a Sri Lankan President, several Sinhalese and Tamil nationalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ leaders, unleashed suicide bombers, killed Buddhist monks, bombed temples, experts in arms smuggling and the listƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  goes on.