Cooperation of Indonesia-Australia in Administering Asylum Seekers: Understanding how the Two Nations Manage Differences and Similarities of National Agenda in the Management of Asylum Seeker Movements

FARRAS MOHAMAD RAZAN, Dr. Dafri Agussalim, M.A.

2021 | Skripsi | S1 ILMU HUBUNGAN INTERNASIONAL

Asylum seeker movements in the Asia-Pacific region is an ever-present issue that has dominate the political setting of Australia for an ample span of time. Australia is becoming the penultimate destination from a series of journeys undertaken by both asylum seekers and opportunistic economic migrants seeking better living opportunities from their home states. The sole difference between the two migrants is that asylum seekers were migrating for the safety of their lives with which Australia was ultimately chosen as their final destination, as apart from the state promises excellent living prospects, the state also ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocols hence it is believed that the Australian government would cordially embrace the entries of asylum seekers to the state. Indonesia on the other hand, is non-signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocols and the state also served as the primary transit site for asylum seekers and other migrants before proceeding with the final leg of their journey to Australia. This would ultimately serve a major issue to the Australian government as the steady upsurge of asylum seeker and migrant entries was deemed problematic to the integrity of the state and the Australian government. In addition to that, being a non-signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its Protocols, the issue of asylum seekers entries was not becoming a matter of concern to the Indonesian government hence it is an issue which is not prioritized in the Indonesian government�s national agenda. The Australian government would then attempt to tap into this by appealing the Indonesian government into chairing the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons, and Related Transnational Crimes alongside the Australian government. It is a cooperation which objective is to eradicate networks of people smugglers and other transnational criminal activities with which the frameworks of the cooperation would be entirely funded by the Australian government. The Bali Process would ultimately also serve as a tool to further the Australian government�s agenda of curbing the figures of asylum seekers from entering the state.

Asylum seeker movements in the Asia-Pacific region is an ever-present issue that has dominate the political setting of Australia for an ample span of time. Australia is becoming the penultimate destination from a series of journeys undertaken by both asylum seekers and opportunistic economic migrants seeking better living opportunities from their home states. The sole difference between the two migrants is that asylum seekers were migrating for the safety of their lives with which Australia was ultimately chosen as their final destination, as apart from the state promises excellent living prospects, the state also ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocols hence it is believed that the Australian government would cordially embrace the entries of asylum seekers to the state. Indonesia on the other hand, is non-signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocols and the state also served as the primary transit site for asylum seekers and other migrants before proceeding with the final leg of their journey to Australia. This would ultimately serve a major issue to the Australian government as the steady upsurge of asylum seeker and migrant entries was deemed problematic to the integrity of the state and the Australian government. In addition to that, being a non-signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its Protocols, the issue of asylum seekers entries was not becoming a matter of concern to the Indonesian government hence it is an issue which is not prioritized in the Indonesian government�s national agenda. The Australian government would then attempt to tap into this by appealing the Indonesian government into chairing the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons, and Related Transnational Crimes alongside the Australian government. It is a cooperation which objective is to eradicate networks of people smugglers and other transnational criminal activities with which the frameworks of the cooperation would be entirely funded by the Australian government. The Bali Process would ultimately also serve as a tool to further the Australian government�s agenda of curbing the figures of asylum seekers from entering the state.

Kata Kunci : Asylum seekers, Management, Indonesian government, Australian government, Bali Process.