Australian High Commission
Colombo
Press Release
Australia and Sri Lanka discuss harmonising laws to combat people smuggling
On 4 June 2013, Australian and Sri Lankan officials participated in a roundtable discussion on harmonising Australian and Sri Lankan people smuggling laws to assist efforts to combat people smuggling. Australia’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, H.E. Robyn Mudie, and Sri Lanka’s Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa opened the roundtable, which was hosted by the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development.
The need for continued discussions on harmonising people smuggling laws with international instruments and best practice was identified as a priority at the inaugural Sri Lanka - Australia Joint Working Group (JWG) on People Smuggling and Transnational Crime in Colombo on 17 December 2012. The roundtable discussion demonstrated Australia’s and Sri Lanka’s commitment to this work.
The roundtable discussion included an update on the status of Sri Lanka’s people smuggling amendments to the Immigration and Emigrants Act, Australian people smuggling laws, sharing experiences in legislating against people smuggling, and a focus on areas where Australia and Sri Lanka may be able to collaborate to further harmonise people smuggling laws.
Representatives from Australia’s Attorney-General’s Department, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian High Commission participated in the roundtable. Senior officials from Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, Department of Immigration and Emigration, Ministry of Justice, Attorney General’s Department, Sri Lanka Police Service and the Legal Draftsman attended. Sri Lanka’s Navy Commander, Vice Admiral Colombage, and Justice Secretary, Kamalini de Silva, also participated in the discussion.
Australia and Sri Lanka have been working together to strengthen and harmonise people smuggling legislation to prevent criminals exploiting gaps in legal frameworks under the Australia – Sri Lanka Memorandum of Understanding concerning Legal Cooperation against the Smuggling of Migrants signed in December 2009.