Oceanic Viking leaves Indonesia after four week stalemate
Updated
After spending four weeks off the coast of Indonesia, the Australian customs ship, Oceanic Viking weighed anchor last night and began the journey back to Australian waters.
A few hours earlier, the last of 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers ended the standoff and finally entered a detention centre in Tanjung Pinang. The immediate issue may have been resolved but it's left a bad taste in some peoples' mouths.
Presenter: Geoff Thompson
Speakers: Dr Sujatmiko, Indonesian Foreign Ministry
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(Sound of Indonesian Foreign Ministry official singing karaoke version of the song "We are Sailing")
GEOFF THOMPSON: In the lobby of the only decent hotel in Tanjung Pinang, a senior Indonesian Foreign Ministry official celebrates the departure of the Oceanic Viking with a karaoke classic.
In the restaurant next door a long table of more than two dozen Australian officials and Tamil translators were celebrating too, after finally delivering an end to an impasse which, for four weeks, has focused their minds and those of the Rudd Government and an Opposition on the attack.
(to Indonesian official) Is that 56?
IMMIGRATION OFFICIAL: Yes 56.
GEOFF THOMPSON: 56?
IMMIGRATION OFFICIAL: Yes 56. All of them.
GEOFF THOMPSON: Just a few hours earlier in the detention centre partly funded by Australia, immigration officials made the final count on the number of people who've left the Oceanic Viking and came ashore last night.
On hand was the Indonesian Foreign Ministry's most senior official on the ground in Tanjung Pinang, Dr Sujatmiko.
DR SUJATMIKO: Well they are very glad to disembark from the vessel hoping that Australia keep the promise to come to Australia.
REPORTER: Do you think Australia will keep that promise?
DR SUJATMIKO: This is, you can ask Australia. This is our expectation. This is our expectation that Australia will keep the promise.
REPORTER: Is it your expectation that all 56 will go to Australia?
DR SUJATMIKO: This is their expectation and Indonesian Government expectation.
REPORTER: That they all go to Australia?
DR SUJATMIKO: Australia, or other third countries. Will come back to Australia to keep the promise, after the deadline, out from Indonesia.
REPORTER: Is there anything in the news that the reason the President cancelled his visit to Australia was because of this issue?
DR SUJATMIKO: No comment on that. This is I think, I empathise, this is the first and the last. We will not enjoy this, entertain this kind of incident. I think this is really very complicated issues and we have to make sure that in the future we have to settle this issues very, very carefully between Indonesia and Australia.
REPORTER: You don't want to go through this again?
DR SUJATMIKO: Well, I wish this is the last.
GEOFF THOMPSON: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has said that there is a special arrangement for the 10 women and children among the 78 Sri Lankans, saying they won't be housed in the detention centre but in a facility nearby.
Dr Sujatmiko again.
DR SUJATMIKO: Women and children will be accommodated in the building next to this one.
REPORTER: Is that part of the detention centre?
DR SUJATMIKO: This is detention centre and that one is not detention centre.
REPORTER: How is it different to the detention centre Dr Sujatmiko?
DR SUJATMIKO: Well, I cannot explain the detail about this building but this is the request from Australia that we are going to treat women and children separately. We are going to give the children a much better place than here.
REPORTER: But it still has bars and razor wire.
DR SUJATMIKO: They are arranging everything, so they will leave very soon this evening.
GEOFF THOMPSON: The facility in question is titled Temporary Holding Room and Canteen and while there are bars on the windows, the only razor wire runs along the wall of the detention centre next door. According to a senior Australian official, the women and children will be able to come and go as they please.
