People smuggling cooperation
In 2019, maritime people smuggling (or human smuggling) continues to be a global issue. Australia and Sri Lanka share a long-standing commitment to dismantling people smuggling networks in the region, working together to prevent people from putting their money and their lives in the hands of criminal people smugglers.
The strength of the cooperation between our two countries has meant that in the past five years, every people smuggling boat that has departed Sri Lanka for Australia has failed. In 2018, no illegal maritime ventures from Sri Lanka reached Australian waters.
Despite this, the people smuggling issue has not gone away. People smugglers continue to use false promises of settlement in Australia or other countries to exploit vulnerable people.
Sri Lankan authorities play a vital role in disrupting ventures before they hit the water. Australia and Sri Lanka are working closely to shut down people smuggling syndicates operating out of Sri Lanka, and investigate and prosecute criminals involved in people smuggling activity. These efforts have potentially saved the lives of many Sri Lankans who might otherwise have attempted a dangerous boat journey to Australia.
December 2018 saw the appointment of Major- General Craig Furini, AM, CSC as the new Commander of Operat i o n Sovereign Borders. Major-General Furini will continue the work of his predecessor in combatting people smuggling activities in the region and to prevent any re-emergence of a large-scale people smuggling trade targeting Australia.
Australia’s borders are closed to illegal migration. The tough border protection policies that have secured Australia’s borders and prevented people from dying at sea remain in place. Australia’s commitment to strong national borders will not change.
The strength of Australia’s border protection capabilities and our strong relationship with Sri Lanka means that any attempts to travel illegally by boat from Sri Lanka to Australia will fail.
Since the implementation of Australia’s toughest ever border protection measures in 2013, Australia has returned 827 people from 34 people smuggling ventures to their country of origin or departure, including 166 Sri Lankans.
Australia looks forward to further strengthening our cooperation to combat this shared challenge in the year ahead.
Co-ordinated by R.S. Wilfred Cooray