Colombo, Sri Lanka: Foreign minister Julie Bishop says she welcomes the arrests of Sri Lankan navy sailors allegedly involved in people smuggling, saying it shows the country is serious about combating the illegal trade in people.
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But the minister rejected suggestions Australia would be embarrassed that the Sri Lankan navy, its supposed partner in combating people smuggling, had members who were complicit in the trade.
“We certainly welcome the fact that the Sri Lankan government is taking the issue of people smuggling very seriously and cracking down on alleged corruption.”
Four navy members, three sailors and one officer, are currently in police custody facing charges of people smuggling.
As revealed by Fairfax Saturday morning, the most senior navy member arrested, Lieutenant Commander Sanjeewa Annatugoda, briefed Australia's border protection chief, Rear Admiral David Johnston, and Australia's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Robyn Mudie, on measures to counter human smuggling.
Sri Lankan police allege Cmdr Annatugoda was a key player in the largest and most profitable smuggling ring in Sri Lanka.
It is believed he was paid kickbacks in return for using his influence at Trincomalee Naval Base, and knowledge of patrol regimes, to assist people smugglers's boats to leave Sri Lankan waters.
Since the arrest of Cmdr Annatugoda and 30 other members of the racket, the number of boats leaving Sri Lankan shores for Australia has dropped 90 per cent.
In a prison cell interview with Fairfax Media, Cmdr Annatugoda denied the allegations against him.
“I am not the man who did this thing. Others did.”
Ms Bishop said most of those leaving Sri Lanka seeking asylum in Australia were not genuine refugees, but economic migrants, and that “the grounds for claiming asylum don't apply”.
Ms Bishop also praised the development of Sri Lanka since the end of its bloody 30-year civil war in 2009, saying the country had more progress in four years than many post-conflict nations had made in 20.
But pushed on allegation against the Sri Lankan government of war crimes, and ongoing human rights abuses, she said she raised these with government ministers.
She said the Commonwealth helped countries work towards their shared goals of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
“We're all not perfect as members… but we support each other.”
