The
Tampa Affair of 2001: Refugees to Australia
In
August 2001, the Australian government (Prime Minister John Howard) refused the
Norwegian cargo ship ‘The Tampa’ to enter Australian waters with the 438
refugees that they had rescued in international waters. It triggered political
controversy that helped the Howard Government to be re-elected and began a diplomatic
dispute between Norway & Australia.
Rescue:
·
On the 24 August 2001 a 20m
fishing vessel was stranded 140Km North of Christmas Island with 369 men, 26
women and 43 children (mostly from Afghanistan).
·
The Tampa was the closest vessel
to respond to distress calls. They picked up survivors and according to
international law were to be taken to the nearest port for medical treatment.
Indonesia offered to take them to nearest Indonesian port that was twelve hours
away, but Christmas Island was only 6 hours away.
·
By 2pm the Tampa began to rescue
people from the water. According to the captain many appeared in a bad physical
state with disease rife among the refugees. Once on board some men appeared
aggressive and demanded that the captain must take them to Australian
territory. The captain set course for Christmas Island.
The
situation:
·
The ship requested permission by
the Australian government to unload the refugees at Christmas Island, as the
refugee’s boat was too unseaworthy. The government responded that they were to
charge the Captain, as a people smuggler is he did so.
·
Under the 1990 agreement
Indonesia was obliged to rescue these people as it was in their territory.
Though it was unknown why this did not occur.
·
Faced by legal threats the
captain the captain slowly turned towards Indonesia. Though soon after the
Refugees began to notice and the captain feared harm to his crew or a riot so
he turned back to Christmas Island.
·
The Norwegian captain continued
to plead for assistance from the Australian government to help the refugees.
The government gave food and medical assistance but refused to allow the Tampa
into Australian waters.
·
The captain grew impatient and
was concerned for the safety of all aboard. He continued to the island
regardless of the directions given. He anchored 4 miles off Christmas Island
·
The SASR were deployed to
prevent the ship getting to Christmas Island and to prevent asylum seekers from
applying for asylum.
·
Army doctors reported numerous
cases of diarrhoea, lice, scabies and dehydration. Water supplies were turned
off constantly to preserve supplies and to prevent water-bourn diseases
occurring.
Politics:
·
The Australian government was
tried to force the boat into international waters. The captain remained, as he
felt it would be dangerous to go to open waters with the refugees still aboard.
The shipping company and the Norwegian government agreed.
·
Australia asked for Indonesia to
accept the asylum seekers and the government of Norway. Both refused: Norway
primarily of distance.
·
Norway reported Australia to the
UNHCR for failure to obey duties under international law
·
The government attracted strong
support by the Australian populace after the 2001 attacks
Refugees:
·
The refugees were eventually
sent to Nauru where they were held in detention centres – many continued to
refuse to leave the boat. 92 were granted asylum from the Tampa into Australia.
·
150 of these refugees were
diverted to New Zealand where they were granted asylum – the Australian
government paid New Zealand for this.
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