Indonesia to Investigate Report over People Smuggling

Jakarta, Indonesia (News Today) - Indonesia will investigate claims that corrupt officials are colluding with people smugglers blamed for sending boatloads of asylum seekers to Australia, a spokesman said Tuesday. An investigative report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s “Four Corners” programme late Monday accused Indonesian law enforcement officials of involvement in people-smuggling activities.

“We’ll check the report. We’ll find out what’s in it, how true the information is, and get concrete details,” immigration ministry spokesman Maroloan Barimbing said.

“If we check the information and learn that it’s not true, then the report only tarnishes our image. If it’s true then it will help us to work better.” The ABC’s online publicity for the show says that while Australia funds detention centres for illegal immigrants in Indonesia, corrupt Indonesian officials are helping to send migrants to Australia in rickety boats.

Entitled “Smuggler’s Paradise”, the programme includes footage from hidden cameras apparently showing refugees cutting deals with politically-connected travel agents and military officers to secure their passage to Australia. An increase in the number of asylum-seekers arriving by boat from Asian trouble-spots has provoked heated political debate in Australia ahead of upcoming elections.

Source : kompas

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