By Helen Brown in Jakarta
Posted January 11, 2012 09:25:10
The Federal Government says it is concerned about a "new challenge" emerging in the international world of people smuggling.
Recent figures on boat arrivals show the number of people from Iran has risen sharply in the past few months, with Iranian asylum seekers using Indonesia as a transit point to get to Australia.
Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd has raised the issue with his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa.
Indonesia's foreign ministry spokesman Michael Tene says they were told that Iranians now comprise almost 50 per cent of those seeking asylum in Australia.
It is understood that two years ago the number of Iranians on the Immigration Department's case load was 6 per cent.
A year later it was 36 per cent, and now it is approaching 50 per cent, which means almost half the number of people arriving in Australia by boat are from one country.
In Indonesia's view the issue is not specifically about Iran, but more about the task of tackling a tricky regional subject; in this instance, with people coming in via Dubai.
"My understanding is from the information provided for Mr Rudd that the Iranians would be asylum seekers. They came through Dubai, then to Bali, then from there their effort is to get into Australia," Mr Tene said.
The two foreign ministers agreed to share more information about the flow of people and on finding ways to disrupt the so-called pipelines.
Meanwhile, Australia has decided not to pursue a people smuggling kingpin who has just stepped out of an Indonesian jail.
Zamin Ali, also known as Haji Sakhi, had been in prison since May 2010 for offences related to people smuggling.
Australia had been seeking to extradite the Pakistani national, but just a few days before his release withdrew the application.
The Attorney-General's department says authorities are no longer in a position to prosecute him for the alleged crimes.
Rudd in talks over Iran asylum surge - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
