Smuggling of Migrants — Global News March 2016
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smuggling of migrants — global news march 2016 This monthly newsletter summarises news items and media commentary from some of world’s leading media outlets. The Migrants Smuggling Working Group takes no responsibility for the content and accuracy of the information provides in these news items. AMERICAS CANADA Ontario man arrested in attempted human smuggling: CBSA – 2 March 2016 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-man-arrested-in-attempted-human-smuggling- cbsa/article28996192/ A Cornwall, Ont., man and three foreign nationals have been arrested in what border officials say was an attempt to smuggle people from the United States into Canada. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Immigrant smuggler caught 23 times by Border Patrol gets prison time – 27 March 2016 http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-immigrant-smuggle-caught-23-times-by-border-control-gets- prison-time-20160327-story.html A career smuggler nabbed while guiding four immigrants through the Otay Mountains last year was sentenced Friday to five years in prison. ASIA-PACIFIC GENERAL Bali Process to draft emergency response mechanism for people smuggling, trafficking – 11 March 2016 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/11/bali-process-draft-emergency-response-mechanism-people- smuggling-trafficking.html The 2016 Bali Process on people smuggling, human trafficking and other transnational crimes to be held on Mar. 22-23 in Bali will produce a new document detailing an emergency response mechanism for people smuggling and human trafficking in the region, an official said on Thursday. Bali Process expected to yield new regional mechanism – 11 March 2016 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/11/bali-process-expected-yield-new-regional-mechanism.html After the influx of Rohingya refugees and the Benjina slavery case coming to light last year, the sixth Bali Process international forum is expected to result in an emergency response mechanism for dealing with irregular migration and closer attention being paid to trans-boundary crimes in the region. RI to ask Australia to relax refugee policy – 18 March 2016 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/18/ri-ask-australia-relax-refugee-policy.html Indonesia is planning to ask Australia to revise its strict policy on refugees at the upcoming Bali Process international forum through a multilateral mechanism that demonstrates Indonesia is not alone in wanting the neighboring country to let more refugees into its territory. Indonesia, Australia strengthen ties over Bali Process – 22 March 2016 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/22/indonesia-australia-strengthen-ties-over-bali-process.html Indonesia and Australia have taken steps to enhance their relationship ahead of the Bali Process meeting. RI-OZ to toughen security checks on migrants – 22 March 2016 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/22/ri-oz-toughen-security-checks-migrants.html Indonesia and Australia have agreed to strengthen security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region to stop infiltration by members of militant groups through the influx of migrants from the Middle East. RI, Oz seek approval for refugee mechanism – 23 March 2016 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/23/ri-oz-seek-approval-refugee-mechanism.html Indonesia and Australia are seeking approval from member states of the Bali Process to establish and colead a consultative mechanism to swiftly address a potential refugee influx into the region, as an attempt to make the forum relevant amid rising global concerns over irregular migration. Bali Process pledges agile response to refugees – 24 March 2016 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/24/bali-process-pledges-agile-response-refugees.html The inability of the Bali Process mechanism to address an influx of Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees last year is being used as a lesson for the future as the international forum concludes, bringing out a new declaration and mechanism to ensure an agile and timely response to prevent undesired recurrences. HONG KONG Three-year-old girl among 21 South Asians intercepted on smuggling boat off Hong Kong airport – 9 March 2016 http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1922698/three-year-old-girl-among-21-south-asians- intercepted A boatload of South Asian illegal immigrants, including a three-year-old Pakistani girl, was intercepted by police off Hong Kong International Airport yesterday as people smugglers apparently took advantage of foggy weather to try to avoid detection, the Post was told. Hong Kong government plans tougher penalties for people smugglers – 10 March 2016 http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1922970/hong-kong-government-plans-tougher- penalties-people Hong Kong is readying tougher penalties for the first time in four decades against snakeheads smuggling illegal immigrants into the city, as part of a new drive to stem the influx of asylum seekers. Shut down: Hong Kong and mainland China police nab 109 people in cross-border operation involving illegal immigrants – 20 March 2016 http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1928099/shut-down-hong-kong-and-mainland-china- police-nab-109 Hong Kong and Guangdong police have shut down a major cross-border human-smuggling syndicate, arresting 109 people – most of them South Asians. Refugee issue a burden on Hong Kong ... but Shenzhen detention camp not the solution, says Leung Chun-ying – 23 March 2016 http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1929305/refugee-issue-burden-hong-kong-shenzhen- detention-camp-not Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying dismissed the idea of building a detention camp across the border to house asylum seekers in Hong Kong, though he claimed the refugees were causing great distress to the city. Hong Kong people smuggling syndicates smashed: nearly 3,000 illegal immigrants arrested in joint operation with mainland police – 30 March 2016 http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1931749/hong-kong-people-smuggling-syndicates- smashed-nearly-3000 Hong Kong and mainland police have smashed three cross-border human-smuggling syndicates and arrested nearly 3,000 illegal immigrants heading for the city, most of them from Vietnam and Pakistan. Hong Kong Immigration Department crackdown nets 17 illegal workers and 8 employers – 31 March 2016 http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1932721/hong-kong-immigration-department- crackdown-nets-17-illegal Seventeen illegal workers and eight employers were nabbed by the Immigration Department during a series of citywide operations in the last three days. INDONESIA 6 Bangladeshi asylum seekers arrested in Kupang – 9 March 2016 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/09/6-bangladeshi-asylum-seekers-arrested-kupang.html Indonesian authorities have arrested six Bangladeshi asylum seekers and two Indonesian people smugglers after their boat capsized on its way to Australia, an official said on Wednesday. Fishermen accuse Australia of deceit in Bangladeshi migrant case – 10 March 2016 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/10/fishermen-accuse-australia-deceit-bangladeshi-migrant- case.html Indonesian fishermen reportedly handed over six undocumented Bangladeshi migrants to authorities in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, claiming they had been tricked by Australian naval officers into taking the undocumented migrants into Indonesian territory. Shelter versus shielded borders – 15 March 2016 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/15/shelter-versus-shielded-borders.html In May 2015, three boats with more than 1,800 people on board reached Aceh after a long, hazardous trip. Although the Indonesian Navy had tried to prevent at least one boat from landing by first equipping the boat with fuel and food and then forcing it back to the sea, eventually these people were allowed to come on land. THAILAND Thailand begins major human trafficking trial – 15 March 2016 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/15/thailand-begins-major-human-trafficking-trial.html Prosecutors in Thailand called their first witnesses Tuesday in a major human trafficking trial with 92 defendants, including an army general, implicated in smuggling, kidnappings and the deaths of dozens of people. 4 Things to Know About Thailand’s Trial of 92 Alleged Human Traffickers – 18 March 2016 http://time.com/4263868/thailand-trial-92-human-trafficking/ Ninety-two people went on trial in Bangkok this week accused of being part of a transnational human- trafficking network that held people in barbaric conditions in camps close to the Thai-Malaysian border. MIDDLE EAST AFGHANISTAN Afghans say they see no future in their country and are leaving in droves – 17 March 2016 http://www.latimes.com/nation/ct-afghans-leaving-afghanistan-20160317-story.html When most American troops departed Afghanistan in 2014 and the Obama administration helped install a unity government, it was supposed to set the country on a path toward self-sustainability after two decades of Taliban rule and foreign military intervention. EUROPE GENERAL Mediterranean Migrant Arrivals in 2016 Near 130,000; Deaths Reach 418 – 1 March 2016 http://www.iom.int/news/mediterranean-migrant-arrivals-2016-near-130000-deaths-reach-418 As winter nears its end, IOM estimates irregular migrant and refugee arrivals are now approaching 130,000 in the Mediterranean. The number, reached in nine weeks, falls just short of the total for all seaborne arrivals in Europe as recently as 2014. Factbox: Going round in circles: Europe's 10 migration dilemmas – 2 March 2016 http://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-dilemmas-factbox-idUSKCN0W41KN