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National |
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2:02 pm AEST
February 18 2000 |
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Immigration Minister plays down report of boat people
influx |
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AAP -- Immigration minister Phillip Ruddock said today
he was aware of "consolidations" of people in Indonesia poised to
leave illegally for Australia but he had no information to suggest a
large influx of boat people was imminent.
Mr Ruddock was
responding to a report in today's Age newspaper that more than 1,000
illegal immigrants were expected to arrive on Australian shores over
the next few days in the single biggest load of boat people in the
nation's history.
Intelligence sources had reported the boat
people were on their way from Indonesia and were due to arrive in
northern Australia today or over the weekend, the newspaper
said.
One vessel was believed to have up to 700 people on
board, while Australian Coastwatch had another ship carrying about
350 people under surveillance.
Mr Ruddock said he was not
aware of precise numbers of people but said there were reports of
people consolidating in Indonesia.
"There are reports that
suggest there has been consolidation going on in Indonesia in
relation to people who've been gathering there over a long period of
time, very frustrated at the fact they had not been able to move
before this," Mr Ruddock told ABC radio.
"And there is talk
that there have been a number of consolidations put together which
might involve numbers of people which (The Age) has
mentioned.
"At this point ... I have no information that
would confirm that a boat of that size has left
Indonesia.
"But it is certainly the case that we have
information that suggests that a consolidation of that size is being
worked on."
Mr Ruddock said the Australian government was
working with Jakarta authorities to prevent any planned
departures. |
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