AUSTRALIA TO GIVE A$25 MILLION TO REGION TO FIGHT PEOPLE-SMUGGLING

By Neville DCruz

MELBOURNE, July 7 (Bernama) -- Australia will provide a A$25 million package
to help fight people-smuggling in the region.

It will provide Indonesia with patrol boats and surveillance aircraft, while
law enforcement agencies in Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka would
also be provided with additional support, Australian Prime Minister Julia
Gillard announced Wednesday.

The announcement comes a day after she had said she would seek greater
regional co-operation to deal with people smuggling, including establishing a
refugee processing centre in Timor Leste.

Gillard, who inspected Customs vessels and navy patrol boats in Darwin
Wednesday, said at a media conference the package underlined the government's
commitment to working with regional neighbours on the problem of
people-smuggling.

The package includes extra patrol boats, surveillance aircraft and
communications equipment to help Indonesian police detect and disrupt people
smuggling ventures in Indonesian waters.

Indonesia will also be given A$5 million to develop the computer forensic
capabilities of its national police force.

Australia's police presence in the region will also be boosted with another
seven federal police officers for deployment to work with law enforcement
partners.

The package also includes new land-based policing surveillance and
investigative equipment for partner law enforcement agencies in Indonesia,
Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

During her visit to Darwin, Gillard joined naval exercises aboard the patrol
boat HMAS Broome, one of the vessels employed in intercepting asylum-seeker
boats.
-- BERNAMA