Oceanic viking security clearance case this week

(http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/9480240/asylum-seekers-cha...)

Many of RISE's members are from this boat. The oceanic Viking refugees and the Merak refugees (their boats were intercepted by Australia and sent back to Indonesia in Oct 2009) are significant groups since these two groups of people played a significant role through their resistance in 2009 in raising public awareness in Australia about the "Indonesian Solution". Australia subsequently increased the quota of refugees from Indonesia from 35 per year to 500 per year in 2010. We are now having people resettled in Australia thanks to the new quota, dropping into the RISE office. Meanwhile the group of oceanic Viking refugees (they arrived to Australia by plane, on a 3 minute visa) who were given adverse security clearances are not in a position to find out why they were given this result and have been in detention for more than a year in Australia ( in addition to months and in some cases more than a year of detention in Indonesia). About 200 of the Merak refugees are still waiting in Indonesia for resettlement even though they have now all been recognised by UNHCR Indonesia as refugees (for a significant proportion of them this is the 2nd time they have been processed by UNHCR and recognised as refugees). 3 of the oceanic Viking detainees were finally transferred last month to the mainland from the Bravo compound in Christmas Island. Bravo compound is a high security, isolation area in Christmas island with limited facilities. The oceanic Viking men were held in this area for more than a year. (by the way Bravo compound only held single men all this while, but from this month the men, women and children from boats arriving since the Australian-Malaysia deal has been announced are being held in Bravo compound).

Here is a very good summary of the oceanic Viking issue: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/360/stories/2010/2979183.htm http://www.irishecho.com.au/2010/12/07/journo-shines-light-on-refugee-pl...

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