A BAHRAINI was reportedly among around 200 asylum seekers whose boat sank in West Java as they tried to sneak into Australia, it has emerged.

At least 11 people died in the tragedy and several are still missing after it went down off the coast of Cianjur regency last Tuesday.

The majority of the 189 survivors were Sri Lankans, but also included passengers from Bahrain, Iran, Iraq and Bangladesh.

Smuggling agents were said to be ferrying them to Christmas Island, where they believed they would be automatically given asylum.

Several newspapers in Indonesia and Australia reported that a Bahraini was among the survivors.

The Australian quoted an Iranian passenger, identified as Soheil, who referred to his Bahraini friend.

He named him Ali Akbar and said they each paid $8,000 to an agent in Jakarta to travel to Australia
and did not have any money or possessions.

Immigration rules allow Bahraini passport holders to obtain visas on arrival in Indonesia. The survivors are now being temporarily sheltered at the Sukapura village hall in the Cidaun district of Cianjur in Java.

“There were around 200 people in the boat, while the boat itself was built for 150 passengers,” said West Java Police chief Senior Commander Martinus Sitompul.

He said they were heading to Christmas Island in Australia when bad weather hit the boat.

Indonesian police were yesterday still searching for the boat’s captain, who abandoned the passengers.

Some of the immigrants had expired passports, which means their embassies will be contacted for their repatriation.

Officials said those who had no documents would be handled by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Hundreds have died over the years attempting the journey from ports in Indonesia and Malaysia to enter Australia and seek asylum.

They often travel in overcrowded and poorly
maintained boats.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd last week announced the country had changed its refugee policy so that people who arrive by boat will no longer be allowed to settle there.

He said the latest incident highlighted the need for the policy shift.

“Too many innocent people have been lost at sea,” Mr Rudd told reporters in Melbourne.

“The asylum seeker policy we’ve adopted is about sending a very clear message to people smugglers that if you try to come to Australia by boat, you will not be settled in Australia.

“That is all about destroying the people smugglers’ business model.”

According to new the policy, refugees arriving in Australia by boat will be sent Papua New Guinea, although their claims for asylum will still be assessed in Australia.

Indonesia’s Justice and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsuddin also signed a decree revoking the visa on arrival option for Iranians, which has been in place since 2005.

He stated it was because of the increasing number of people misusing the system to seek asylum in Australia or carrying out drugs smuggling.
sandy@gdn.com.bh