An incident involving the oil and chemical tanker Sichem Hawk has sparked controversy in Australia where the opposition has proposed allowing special forces to board vessels which are carrying asylum-seekers. The Maltese tanker, owned by Eitzen Chemical of Singapore, picked up in international waters 34 Indonesian refugees who were trying to get to Australia. When the refugees threatened to harm themselves, the captain agreed to take them to the Australian territory of Christmas Island. But this sparked opposition calls to allow SAS troops to board vessels in these kind of difficult circumstances and to decide, in a more official way, where the refugees should be taken to.
Diplomatic issues
However, Professor Dan Rothwell of the Australian National University, warned that such an approach could spark international diplomatic incidents. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, the professor of international law said: "Any attempt to use the military against a merchant ship that has rescued persons at sea has the potential to raise multiple legal, political and diplomatic issues, and I'm not just talking about Australia." Europe has its own problems as refugees escape - often in dangerous, overcrowded boats - from Libya and some of the other North African states to reach Malta and the Italian islands.
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