Sri Lanka

A Sri Lankan refugee (2nd L) receives his lunch from Australian customs officers on the deck of the Australian coast guard vessel, Oceanic Viking anchored near Bengkil Island, about 14km (8.2 miles) east of the Tanjung Pinang and the port of Kijang on the Indonesian island of Bintan October 27, 2009. A refugee on the ship said he was from the Jaffna area in northern Sri Lanka and had left Sri Lanka 6 months ago, and that the refugees had been on their current vessel for 10 days. Seventy eight Sri Lankan asylum seekers rescued by an Australian customs vessel in Indonesian waters are to be taken to a detention centre on the Indonesian island of Bintan, an official said on Monday. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, seeking to curb a growing number of asylum seekers, has sought help from Jakarta and other neighbours over the politically sensitive issue.