The Australian Government has a responsibility to show leadership on refugee issues and human rights during this week’s visit by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Amnesty International said today.

The international human rights organisation made the statement ahead of the Indonesian President’s landmark address to Federal Parliament on 10 March, and the expected announcement of a new agreement between the two countries on people smuggling matters.

“Over 90 per cent of people who come to Australia by boat are found to be genuine refugees, meaning they face torture or persecution in their home countries,” said Amnesty International Australia’s Refugee Coordinator Dr Graham Thom. “If the Australian Government is serious about stopping people smuggling, it must work to provide real and durable solutions for these people.”

“Any effective approach to the issue of people movements within the Asia Pacific region must recognise the reasons why people are risking their lives in unseaworthy boats in the first place and must respect the fundamental right of people fleeing persecution to seek protection.”

As a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention on the Status of Refugees, Australia must ensure that any bilateral cooperation with Indonesia or broader regional engagement on refugee and asylum seeker issues is carried out in line with international human rights standards.

“Amnesty International acknowledges the important role of regional cooperation in tackling people smuggling issues in the Asia Pacific region. However, the organisation maintains that any regional or bilateral cooperation on refugee issues must acknowledge and prioritise human rights,” said Graham Thom.

The governments of Australia and Indonesia act as co-chairs of a multilateral regional initiative known as the Bali Process, which aims to combat people smuggling and people trafficking issues in the Asia Pacific.

Australia is also engaging with Indonesia in a number of ways on issues related to asylum seekers, including providing funding for the construction and renovation of immigration detention centres and training for Indonesian immigration officials. Amnesty International believes that it is the responsibility of the Australian Government to ensure that the conditions within these detention centres are appropriate, and in line with accepted international standards.

The organisation has also cited the operations of Australian agencies such as ASIO and the Australian Federal Police in Indonesia, as areas of potential concern.

If these Australian Government agencies are cooperating with Indonesia to prevent asylum seekers from making onwards journeys to Australia, the two countries must actively work to ensure that durable solutions are available to refugees in Indonesia.

The situation facing almost 250 asylum seekers still on board a small wooden fishing boat at the Indonesian port of Merak provides a clear and current example of the potential for failure of bilateral cooperation between Australia and Indonesia on these issues. The group was on its way to Australia on 10 October 2009, when it was intercepted by Indonesian authorities after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made a direct telephone request to the Indonesian President.

“Tomorrow, March 10, marks 150 days that the group, which includes women and children, have been on board the boat. They are living in increasingly squalid conditions and have repeatedly been denied access to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,” said Graham Thom.

“This situation is unacceptable, and dramatically illustrates the need for humane and durable solutions to address the movement of people in the region.”