Australia's Anglican leader urges transparency on immigration policy

(Vatican Radio) Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has declined to comment on reports the navy paid a group of people-smugglers thousands of dollars to turn around their boat packed with asylum-seekers. Media in Australia and Indonesia this week reported that people-smugglers on a boat carrying 65 asylum-seekers were paid to abandon their journey to Australia and return to Indonesia after being intercepted at sea.

Prime Minister Abbott has admitted using what he calls "creative" strategies” to stop migrant boats, but has refused to go into detail. Under Australia's controversial policies, no migrants and asylum seekers are allowed to reach its territories by boat. They are instead intercepted at sea and turned back or taken to detention facilities on the island nation of Nauru and on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

Archbishop Philip Freier is primate of the Anglican Church in Australia and has been an outspoken critic of his government’s immigration detention policies. He told Philippa Hitchen it’s important to have greater transparency about how these border patrols are being carried out….

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Archbishop Freier says much of the discussion about border operations is considered “almost a matter of military intelligence” with details being withheld from the public arena. He describes the reports of people-smugglers being paid by the government as “a remarkable allegation” and says “we’d all be helped by greater transparency” about how these policies are being carried out….

The archbishop reiterates his view that it is “morally reprehensible” for immigrant children to be kept in detention “for any longer than is necessary”. He also says he’s surprised that the Australian people “seem willing to accept these things being done in their name”…

Archbishop Freier underlines the importance of strengthening civil society and addressing the issues of injustice that lead people to leave their countries or abandon themselves to people-traffickers…..in the Australian context he says “we need to address the justice issues in Bangladesh and Northern Myanmar” where ethnic minorities have suffered from human rights violations….