when his parents drowned in the sinking of a boat taking the family to Australia has been re-united with two aunts who came to Australian subsequently on another refugee boat.
The parents died when the boat carrying at least 90 illegal immigrants was smashed on the rocks of Australia’s remote Christmas Island December 15.
Some 42 people were saved, but 30 bodies later washed up on shore and interviews with the survivors indicate another 18 are missing and presumed dead.
Australia has said the boat was filled with Iranians, Iraqis and Kurds, but it has released no names or even a breakdown by nationality.
Among the dead were the parents of three children, all about eight or nine years old. One boy and one girl, who are cousins, were quickly reunited with another family member aboard the ill-fated boat.
The third child, a boy identified as Iranian, was put under the custody of Australia’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).
Australian officials now report that a subsequent boat with illegal immigrants that arrived in Australia was carrying two women identified as the boy’s aunts. Australia said the boy was being reunited with his aunts.
Asserting that his privacy, not fear of retribution towards his family in Iran, is the primary reason, DIAC has not released the name or a photo of the boy.
In Tehran, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Australia is not the only responsible party and that Iran will insist on being involved with the Iranian survivors, although they were all fleeing Iran and may not want the proffered assistance.
Oddly, the Islamic Republic did not assert this role until 11 days after the Christmas Island tragedy.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast told reporters Sunday, “The Foreign Ministry sees itself as responsible to pursue the affairs of its nationals and will follow the case through diplomatic channels and based on the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations as well as other international agreements.”
The destroyed boat was one of more than 130 boats of asylum seekers to head to Christmas Island in 2010.
The Australian government is under public pressure to toughen the country’s handling of the boat refugees, which is a major public issue in Australia.
The number of refugees more than doubled this year to 6,410 compared to 2,726 in 2009. While that number pales by comparison with the 11 million illegal aliens estimated to reside in the United States, it has been sufficient to agitate Australian public opinion.
