An academic has questioned whether Australia's Lombok Treaty with Indonesia will be damaged by the arrival of seven West Papuan asylum seekers in the Torres Strait.
The seven reportedly fled Merauke due to persecution by security forces since their involvement in the West Papua Freedom Flotilla campaign this month.
The group was detained on Tuesday by Australian Immigration officials and sent to Papua New Guinea Thursday night.
Jim Elmslie of Sydney University's West Papua Project says the situation tests the Lombok Treaty which provides that each country disallow activities in their own territory that constitute a threat to the sovereignty of the other.
"There were various accusations against Australia by allowing the flotilla to get organised here and set off from here that Australia was essentially allowing a group to challenge its sovereignty and support separatism and (West Papuan) independence. So you have to question whether the Lombok Treaty... how much damage it's sustained if you see these refugees as a direct consequence of the flotilla."
Jim Elmslie of Sydney University's West Papua Project.
