Asylum seeker "Alex" details his past
Updated
The spokesman for more than 250 Sri Lankans still aboard a wooden cargo boat in western Java has revealed that he's a former member of a violent Tamil gang in Canada.
"Alex" as he has called himself until now is actually Sanjeev Kuhendrarajah, who denies being a people smuggler as alleged by Sri Lanka's foreign ministry, but he admits to a violent gangland past. Kuhendrarajah say he ran out of options after being deported back to Sri Lanka from Canada.
Presenter: Geoff Thompson
Speaker: Sanjeev Kuhendrarajah, Sri Lankan asylum speaker
- Listen:
- Windows Media
SANJEEV KULAENDRARAJAH: It is true. I did serve in a place in Canada. I grew up in Canada and I had my education in Canada and I did get involved in some things in Canada that I shouldn't have gotten involved in.
GEOFF THOMPSON: In Canada you got involved with Tamil street gangs and that led to some violent incidents and eventually that resulted in you being imprisoned?
SANJEEV KULAENDRARAJAH: Things that I've done were wrong and I plead guilty to these incidences and I did my time in jail and these charges did include some charges that were very dangerous.
GEOFF THOMPSON: These charges were allegedly threatening someone's life?
SANJEEV KULAENDRARAJAH: Yes. That is correct.
GEOFF THOMPSON: How much time did you spend incarcerated in Canada?
SANJEEV KULAENDRARAJAH: I was sentenced to one year in prison for that. There was a deportation order out for me and I had to appeal that deportation order and I had to go through the immigration system which took two years.
The Canadian Government decided that it was safe enough for me to return as I had no connections with the LTTE and therefore it would be OK for me to be deported or sent back to Sri Lanka and I was removed from Canada in 2003 for a period of five years.
GEOFF THOMPSON: What happened when you got back to Sri Lanka?
SANJEEV KULAENDRARAJAH: The same thing happens as happened in Sri Lanka which I was very scared to face because I had no experience with it and I just had to take my family and go to a country wherever I can go and because I was not allowed to go to any European countries or North American countries, I decided to go to India.
GEOFF THOMPSON: And what happened when you were in India?
SANJEEV KULAENDRARAJAH: I was working for coffins maker making coffins, like I said before and I was a (inaudible) trainer there and on top of that I did start a small travel business where I just rented out my vehicle that I bought.
GEOFF THOMPSON: The Australian Government and Australians won't be impressed that you have a criminal record and it may prevent you from being accepted as a refugee in Australia or certainly for resettlement in Australia. How do you feel about that?
SANJEEV KULAENDRARAJAH: I can't try to defend my mistakes but all I can say is these mistakes were made when I was young, confused, under peer pressure and a lot of adolescent things that go through any teens mind at the time and you know, it has been almost nine years since my conviction, since I was arrested.
