How Australia responds to "boat people" - asylum seekers.

• published: 30 Jun 2014
• views: 7226

Asylum seekers who were forcibly returned to Indonesia by lifeboat have given the first detailed account of their ordeal, and a unique insight into the Federal Government's Operation Sovereign Borders. New video footage of their journey has also emerged, despite Australian Government attempts to keep the turn-back operations secret. The passengers who are now in detention in Indonesia have given the ABC's 7.30 program their accounts of being forced onto an orange lifeboat after being held on the Australian Customs ship Triton off Christmas Island for up to a week. Iranian asylum seeker Arash Sedigh, 35, said it was the second time he had tried and failed to reach Australia and been put on one of the orange boats, bought specially for the purpose by the Australian Government. AUDIO: Listen to George Roberts' PM report (PM) Mr Sedigh said that during their detention on board the Triton he was separated from the other passengers so he could not warn them about their imminent return. He claims officers "punched" him before putting him onto the lifeboat. "I asked [sic] them, 'We will die in this orange boat, it's not suitable for passing the ocean'," Mr Sedigh said. I was holding to the sides of the boat that they took us to... I was just screaming. But the only thing they did was to pull me forcefully towards that boat. Asylum seeker Azi Sedigh: "They told me, 'That's not our problem, that's yours. If you die in the Indonesian water, [it] makes Indonesian government in trouble and responsible. That's not our problem'."