Immigration yet to devise policy dealing with refugees

THE Foreign Affairs and Immigration Department has yet to formulate a policy to handle permissive residents from West Papua and other settlers in the country, Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Sam Abal said yesterday.
He said the issue had been complicated by the death of a senior magistrate and the charging of four West Papuans in relation to it.
“I have asked the department to see what can be done regarding the resettlement of the refugees but it is now being made complicated by the death of the magistrate,” he said.
Mr Abal said he would review several other policies, including the Government’s relationship with Australia and other countries, and AusAID, and would speak about them them in the November parliamentary session.
He said US President George W Bush recently said in the New York that developing countries should focus on trade and not aid.
“Trade, not aid, builds up countries … aid encourage countries to become dependent,” he said.