A G O R A dialogue

by The Age

One of almost 250 Sri Lankan asylum seekers who have spent the past 11 weeks refusing to leave their boat in Indonesia has died after allegedly being denied medical help.

The 29-year-old Tamil died late last night after falling ill several days ago.

The Tamil’s spokesman, Sanjeev “Alex” Kuhendrarajah, said the man had been vomiting blood for two days but authorities ignored his pleas to be taken to hospital until after he had a seizure last night.

“He was completely neglected by the IOM (International Organisation for Migration) and the Indonesian Navy,” Alex said from the boat in the west Javan port of Merak.

“He was a young man looking for freedom, just looking for peace in his life.

“He had to die to find it.”

The group was shocked and saddened by the death and would do everything in their power to bring a lawsuit against the IOM and Indonesian Navy, Alex said.

The Refugee Action Coalition’s Ian Rintoul, currently in Indonesia, said it was unacceptable that the asylum seekers were being forced to ‘‘haggle’’ over access to medical care.

‘‘It’s an absolutely tragic death but it was also entirely avoidable,’’ Rintoul said.

Australian intelligence helped Indonesian authorities intercept the boat so the Australian Government was responsible for the group, Rintoul said.

‘‘The Rudd Government should be willing to take these people to Australia,’’ he said.

The Tamils, intercepted by the Indonesian Navy en route to Australia in October, do not want to come ashore because they fear they will be sent to an Indonesian detention centre and forced to wait years for resettlement.

Refugee advocates have called on the Australian government to intervene and bring the asylum seekers to Australia.

AAP

Perth (Australia) Tamil community affected by the plight of Sri Lankan asylum seekers in the video following

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