THIRTY-FOUR SRI LANKAN IMMIGRANTS DEPORTED TO AUSTRALIA

Jakarta, Dec 30 (ANTARA) - Thirty-four of the 78 Sri Lanka immigrants who have been staying at the Riau immigration detention center for several weeks have been deported to Australia, the detention center's chief, Sugiyo, said here on Tuesday.

"All of the 34 Sri Lanka immigrants left Tanjung Pinang for Batam and took a direct flight to Australia," he said. Six more of the Sri Lanka immigrants would also leave for Australia on Tuesday (Dec 29) afternoon.

Last December 19, 2009, some 13 Sri Lanka immigrants had also been deported to Canada and two others to Australia.

Of the 78 Sri Lanka immigrants initially accommodated at the Riau Immigration Detention Center in Tanjung Pinang during the past four weeks, only 23 were now left.

The Sri Lankans were caught by the Australian Navy during their journey to Christmas island last October 18, 2009. After the arrest, all asylum seekers were transferred to the Oceanic Viking ship which later anchored near Cempedak island, Bintan district, Riau Islands province.

Under an agreement between the Australian and Indonesian governments, the 78 Sri Lankans would stay at the Riau immigration detention center for a maximum of 12 weeks.

Director of diplomatic security at the Foreign Ministry Sujatmiko said then the the Australian government had earlier promised the immigrants permission to stay in Australia if they had papers confirming their refugee status from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The deportation of Sri Lanka refugee in Indonesia to Canada and Australia, he added, was part of the Australian government's initiative.

"Deportation of the rest of the immigrants in Riau island will take place in a short time," said Sujatmiko.

He explained the 78 Sri Lankans were allowed to stay on Indonesian territory for some time because Indonesia wanted to help Australia overcome the problem they posed after they were caught trying to reach Australian shores in rickety boats.

"But this will be the last time, we are helping Australia deal with its foreign refugee influx problem," Sujatmiko said adding that Indonesia did not incur any expenditures for the deportation since all the related costs were borne by the United Nations.

"Indonesia is also not receiving any material profit from this case," he said.