Bali Process Advance Combating People Smuggling

Jakarta (Antara) - Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Brendan O'Connor and Foreign Minister Bob Carr have announced the region has taken a significant step forward in combating people smuggling and human trafficking.
        
"Minister O'Connor and Senator Carr are in Bali for the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime," said a joint statement of the two ministers that was posted on the official website of the Australian foreign affairs ministry on Tuesday.

O'Connor, who is leading the Australian delegation, welcomed a decision to link the Bali Process with the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC).

Senator Carr is co-chairing the Ministerial Conference with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.

"JCLEC has led training in countering terrorism and is well placed to boost our region's police and border security response to people smuggling and trafficking in persons," O'Connor said.

"This partnership will bring together our law enforcement and immigration management experts to build capacity and strengthen the capabilities of countries in the region to help them to address people smuggling and human trafficking."
     
Senator Carr said Bali Process Ministers also agreed to set up a working group to better coordinate and direct Bali Process efforts to address human trafficking.

"This new group will work with Governments, civil society organisations and the private sector in countering human trafficking and to support and protect its victims," Senator Carr said. (*/DWA)