| 2 asylum seekers 'taken to hospital', We're not blackmailing, Kevin Rudd dont has a heart for us ... |
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The Age/AAP today reported that, "Two of the Sri Lankan asylum seekers, caught by Indonesian authorities en route to Australia, have been taken to hospital in critical condition". It also reported, "I don't think Kevin Rudd has a heart for us anymore. We don't want to waste the energy that we have on a person that has those views," he said. "We're not blackmailing anybody. We are peace-loving citizens."
Full Text Two of the Sri Lankan asylum seekers, caught by Indonesian authorities en route to Australia, have been taken to hospital in critical condition, a spokesman says. All 222 men and women on board the rickety cargo boat, moored in the port of Merak in western Java, have gone on a hunger strike as they plea to be resettled. The group's spokesman, Alex, told AAP that two of the asylum seekers had been taken to hospital. "This is day two of the hunger strike and already two people have been taken to hospital. Two people have gone to the hospital in critical condition," he said. The hunger strike was sparked after a disagreement with Indonesian authorities, who want to move the asylum seekers off their boat. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Friday maintained his hardline stance on border protection, saying he would not bow to emotional blackmail. "It is irresponsible for any prime minister of Australia to send out a message of positive encouragement to people smugglers in the region," he told Fairfax Radio. "It creates an industry which I have said before is one of the vilest on earth and, secondly, it is potentially very dangerous for people putting their lives into the hands of such people. "So I am not going to be in the business of sending out messages to people smugglers in the region, and more broadly across the world, that somehow this is a legitimate trade. "It is not. It is obnoxious and vile." Alex said the hunger strike would continue until the international community took notice of their plight. However, he said the group has given up on making it to Australia. "I don't think Kevin Rudd has a heart for us anymore. We don't want to waste the energy that we have on a person that has those views," he said. "We're not blackmailing anybody. We are peace-loving citizens." |
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