Questions remain after Christmas Island tragedy
Christmas Island residents had attempted to contact the navy immediately after spotting a 16 metre vessel approaching dangerous cliffs off Rocky Point at 5.30am on December 15. Although forbidden by police from launching boats or swimming out to help, locals threw life jackets into the sea at 6.30am when the boat’s engines failed. At least thirteen men, nine women, four children and four babies met a horrific end after naval assistance did not arrive until 7.00am. WA police revealed the next day that they had received three triple-0 emergency calls from the boat between 5.50am and 6.05am, raising questions about the effectiveness of the navy’s response to the tragedy.
Ms Gillard has maintained that a Western Australian coronial inquest, a criminal investigation focused on people smuggling and a review of the incident by Customs will determine the causes of the disaster. However, Ian Rintoul of the Refugee Action Coalition stated that a judicial inquiry would be more immediate while Ms Gillard’s proposal could mean a wait of up to two years or longer. He also emphasized that the details of the inquiry must address when Customs first became aware of the vessel.
“Initial comments made apparent they were aware,” Mr Rintoul said. “However, subsequent comments were very carefully worded.” He also questioned why it took one and a half hours for two small navy boats to be sent to the scene and why they were not carrying nets to ensure a more effective rescue.
“Ms Gillard is avoiding a judicial inquiry to deflect attention from government policy and the navy,” Mr Rintoul said.
Mr Rintoul also believes it was the government’s approach to asylum seekers which resulted in the tragic incident off Christmas Island.
Indonesia is not a signatory to the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and detains all asylum seekers, even those holding UNCHR refugee cards. According to Mr Rintoul, this creates a greater incentive for individuals to seek security in Australia, one of the only signatories to the UN Convention in the Pacific region. However, by increasing pressure on Jakarta to detain asylum seekers, funding and building detention centres in Indonesia (such as Tanjung Pinang) and refusing to process or resettle people out of Indonesia, the Australian government itself has induced people to take the perilous journey south,” Mr Rintoul said.
Approximately 3000 asylum seekers are currently being held in detention centres on Christmas Island. One detainee has lost seven members of his family, including his wife. The RAC believes that the survivors of the Rocky Point tragedy should be freed from detention and housed in communities while their applications for refugee status are processed.
