Strong signal by Joint Committee

Priyanka Kurugala

The Sri Lanka-Australia joint working group will be a strong response for human smuggling and transnational crime between Australia and Sri Lanka. Under this programme Sri Lanka will be able to send a message to the world that Sri Lanka has taken suitable steps to halt illegal migration, High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Australia Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe said.

He was addressing a press conference at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel yesterday.

He further said on December 17 the joint working group was set up to prevent and combat human trafficking under the auspices of Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

A large number of Sri Lankans illegally migrated to Australia during this year. This was a big increase over previous years . Australian journalists gave coverage to this illegal migration through the sea, he said.

Under this situation Australia and Sri Lanka decided to discuss this matter. As a result both governments launched a joint maritime surveillance programme to deter human smuggling and transnational crime.

External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris announced that, the joint working committee comprising high ranking officials from the Australian and Sri Lankan governments has been established to prevent and combat human trafficking, he said.

The Sri Lanka Police will also take suitable legal action in this regard. However, there is a time lapse before information about the joint working group reaches the racketeers and relevant parties. Sri Lanka Navy l played a major roll to prevent human trafficking in recent times, he said. According to the previous experience it has been recorded that, human smuggling and transnational crime is a business to provide funds for terrorism.

Therefore those illegally entering Australia will never be given citizenship in Australia and they will be deported within 72 hours.

Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Acting Secretary and Leader of the Delegation Martin Bowles said, Sri Lankans who are duped by people smugglers need to know that there are no job opportunities in Australia. They will either be deported to Sri Lanka or transferred to a country like Nauru or on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

Arrival of Sri Lankan nationals into Australia through dangerous people smuggling ventures carries grave risks , he said.