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Tony Abbott defends other countries turning back asylum-seeker boats

Australian Associated Press - May 17, 2015

• Migrants in 'maritime ping-pong' as Asian nations turn them back – Reuters. May 17, 2015
• Rohingya Muslims cry for help as horror refugee limbo continues – Sydney Morning Herald. May 15, 2015
• 'Some are already dead': Rohingya Muslims stranded at sea by Indonesia and Malaysia – Sydney Morning Herald. May 13, 2015
• Violence against women still rife in Indonesia, Timor Leste and Myanmar – Jakarta Post. November 20, 2014
• 3.5 million hectares of Indonesian and Malaysian forest converted for palm oil in 20 years - Mongabay. November 13, 2013

Thousands of Rohingya from Burma and Bangladeshi migrants are feared stranded at sea with Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand turning away their rickety boats.

Abbott said on Sunday he was not critical of efforts made by other nations to stop people smuggling in the region.

"I don't apologise in any way for the action that Australia has taken to preserve safety at sea by turning boats around where necessary," he said.

"And if other countries choose to do that, frankly that is almost certainly absolutely necessary if the scourge of people smuggling is to be beaten."

If that meant taking "more vigorous" action on the high seas or closer to Burma, so be it, he said.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/may/17/tony-abbott-backs-other-countries-turning-back-asylum-seeker-boats.

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• South East Asia
• South Pacific & Oceania
• North East Asia
• South Asia
• Central Asia