Tiny Cocos Islands hit by influx of refugees

The Cocos Islands, a cluster of coral cays in the Indian Ocean, have one tin-roofed pub, which also serves as an airport departure lounge and cyclone shelter. In recent days it has acquired yet another function - as temporary accommodation for Sri Lankan asylum-seekers.

Four boats have arrived at the Cocos - Australia's westernmost territory - since mid-May, with the most recent making landfall on Wednesday.

It appears that asylum-seekers, or the people-smugglers transporting them, have realised that - at least for boats travelling from Sri Lanka - the islands are closer than neighbouring Christmas Island, the more usual destination.

But while the visitors are not unwelcome, locals - a mix of Australians and "Cocos Malays", the latter descended from 19th century copra plantation workers - warn they are straining the isolated community's resources.

There is little accommodation on the Cocos, and all supplies, including food, have to be flown in from Perth, 2950km to the south-east.

The 170 occupants of the four vessels more than doubled the population of West Island, one of the Cocos's two inhabited specks of land.

No sooner were 32 Sri Lankans - rescued last weekend after crashing into a remote coral cay - transferred to Christmas Island on Tuesday than another group arrived to take their place.

The latest boat was carrying 35 people.

In the past, asylum-seekers trying to reach Australia have aimed for Christmas Island or Ashmore Reef, both nearer to Indonesia, the most popular staging-point.

But for people travelling from Sri Lanka or India, the Cocos - 600km from Christmas Island - are a day's less sailing.

Until last month, only two boats had attempted to reach the Cocos from Sri Lanka, one last year and one in 2010.

On the latter occasion, five people drowned while trying to swim to safety from their stricken vessel.

The Government is struggling to cope with the recent influx, with immigration staff and Australian Federal Police officers sleeping in tents or on the floor of the fire station.

The administrator of the Cocos, Brian Lacy, told ABC radio yesterday that officials were considering turning an old quarantine station on another island, West Island, into accommodation.