On October 18, a leaky 19-metre Indonesian fishing boat, with a capacity of 150 passengers, picked up more than 400 asylum seekers from Lampung to make the journey to Christmas Island.
A few hours out to sea, the boat started leaking and capsized within minutes, sinking rapidly. More than 200 people in the boat's hull went down with it. Many more drowned later after spending 30 hours in the water. Only 44 survived, 353 died.
It was by chance that an Indonesian fishing boat found the survivors shortly after dawn on October 20. Survivors claim that Australian naval vessels were sighted nearby, but did nothing to assist.
The Illawarra Refugee Action Collective (RAC) is calling on the refugees' rights movement to take action to mark the anniversary of this tragedy on the weekend of October 19-20. Let's highlight our ongoing solidarity with refugees and our disgust at the government's appalling treatment of asylum seekers. To add your endorsement, phone (02) 4221 4385 or Will on 0414 898 024.
From Green Left Weekly, July 17, 2002.
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