http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/calm-weather-brings-surge-o...

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/calm-weather-brings-surge-of-boat-people/story-e6freuy9-1225913986073

CALM weather between Indonesia and Australia has triggered a dramatic surge in people smuggling with six boats carrying 274 people arriving since the election on August 21.
Intelligence sources said the upsurge in asylum seeker voyages would continue while the sea remained "like glass".

The latest vessel carrying 59 people was intercepted by the patrol boat HMAS Glenelg north of Christmas Island before 5am yesterday morning.

Its arrival comes as Amnesty International reported that three asylum seekers returned by Australia to Sri Lanka in 1999 had been jailed and tortured. The charity said two of the men, Sumith Mendis and Lasantha Wijeratne, were taken to hospital on Wednesday after claims they were beaten and tortured following an alleged new attempt to seek asylum in Australia.

Amnesty International's Dr Graham Thom said the return of the men to Sri Lanka, when they still faced persecution, meant Australia was in breach of its international obligations.


Yesterday morning's arrival was the sixth boat to arrive since the August 21 election and the fourth in six days. It takes the total for this year to 93 boats and 4620 people including more than 1000 since June.

More than 2640 "irregular maritime arrivals" are now being held at Christmas Island and another 2007 are in detention at centres and in housing across the mainland.