The Sri Lankan envoy to Australia and New Zealand has claimed that Tamil refugees, fleeing the island, are ‘paid’ by smugglers to make the dangerous journey across the Indian Ocean.
In a radio interview by Ashley Hall on the AM program on ABC radio, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe said that Sri Lanka has evidence that these payments have been made.
Extracts from the interview:
ASHLEY HALL: Who are the people on board these boats? Who's trying to leave Sri Lanka?
THISARA SAMARASINGHE: Oh they were a mix of people who were persuaded to come over by various organisations who were trying to get them out of Sri Lanka for whatever the reasons that they have.
There were economic concerns and they have been paid...
ASHLEY HALL: They have been paid?
THISARA SAMARASINGHE: Yeah, in the sense they have not paid for the moment and we do not know the exact arrangements, and I would prefer to keep this information with ourselves or with the investigators because they are continuing to stop and that has resulted in the 113 people being stopped before they boarded a vessel.
ASHLEY HALL: But you have evidence that people were paid to get on a vessel and travel to Australia and seek asylum?
THISARA SAMARASINGHE: They have evidence. They have not paid, the racketeers, these human smugglers, these international racket band, they do this for various reasons - for money, for…
ASHLEY HALL: For money - how would they benefit financially out of paying people to pretend to be asylum seekers?
THISARA SAMARASINGHE: No, they get people to come and they will, in a greater network in getting people across and they show various concerns to countries, make some comments on various places.
So Sri Lanka been out of this terrorist conflict over three years now has become a (inaudible) place for people to stay and there is no reason for people to move other than anybody trying to see for better life in any other country for economic reasons.
But Sri Lanka now, after three years of the conflict, this one - they are absolutely (inaudible) for people to leave the- peace prevails in every place, development is taking place, job opportunities are there, unemployment in Sri Lanka.
And you have your high commissioner, Australian, to see the condition, nature of the Sri Lanka at the moment.
