Tamil Refugee Dies! AU-Govt shd intervene to provide whatever assistance in medical attention, accommodation, processing is needed !! SHAME ON YOU AU!

Asylum seeker dies aboard boat
By Jakarta correspondent Geoff Thompson


Related Story: Asylum seeker reveals gangland past Related Story: Hopes rise for asylum seeker deal Related Story: Asylum seeker spokesman 'a people smuggler' Related Story: Defiant asylum seekers to stay aboard ship Indonesian immigration authorities say a Sri Lankan man has died aboard a wooden cargo boat at Merak port in West Java.

The group of almost 250 asylum seekers have refused to leave the boat since it was intercepted by the Indonesian navy in October.

The area's local immigration chief, Harry Purwanto, has confirmed a man named Jacob, 29, died aboard the boat from complications arising from a stomach infection.

The group's spokesman, Sanjeev Kuhendrarajah, has accused the International Organisation for Migration and the Indonesian navy of refusing the sick man help before he had a seizure and died.

It was a phone call from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd which led to the Indonesian navy's interception of the boat.

And an Australian refugee advocate says the Federal Government needs to intervene to help the asylum seekers.

The Refugee Action Coalition's spokesman, Ian Rintoul, says the Sri Lankans are not getting proper medical treatment.

"This particular group of people are Australia's responsibility," he said.

"I think that the Australian Government should intervene to provide whatever assistance in medical attention, accommodation, processing is needed at Merak.

"Ideally the Government should simply face up to the mistake it made and bring these people to Christmas Island where they should have been."

Tags: community-and-society, immigration, government-and-politics, federal-government, refugees, indonesia, sri-lanka

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