A group of suspected asylum seekers are being held in detention on Christmas Island after being intercepted in the Ashmore Islands this week.
Immigration officials, customs officials and guards met the 12 boatpeople and two Indonesian crew at about 11am today.
Michelle Dimasi – who is researching Australia’s Christmas Island asylum-seeker policy for Melbourne’s Institute for Social Research – told The Australian the group was in high spirits.
“The group seemed mostly like young men, they looked quite healthy and happy, they were smiling and waving to us,” she said.
“To me, they appeared to be Afghanis, of Hazara ethnicity.”
Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Evans said the interception of the group’s boat proved the government’s border security system was working.
“The Rudd Government has also consistently made clear its commitment to maintain a system of mandatory detention and excision,” Senator Evans told The Australian.
“As part of this system of mandatory detention, all unauthorised boat arrivals will be detained and processed on Christmas Island and those found not to be owed protection will be removed.
“They will be held in detention at Christmas Island while they undergo health, security, identity and other checks to establish their identity and reasons for travelling to Australia.”
