FED:Editorials, Tuesday Dec 20, 2011

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2011
FED:Editorials, Tuesday Dec 20, 2011

SYDNEY, Dec 20 AAP - Given the way North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il dutifully perpetuated
his father's rule, hopes that things will change following his death cannot be high, The
Australian says in its editorial today.

His son and presumed successor, Kim Jong-un, has shown few signs of anything but a
slavish commitment to continue the dynasty's militaristic ways.

The new leadership must be left in no doubt that the world will not stand idly by if,
in the context of leadership change, there are new threats, nuclear or otherwise, in the
region.

Diplomatic pressure must remain on North Korea to mend its ways and rejoin the international
community.

There is little hope this can happen smoothly or immediately, but the world must seize
the opportunity created by Kim Jong-il's death to at least try afresh.

The only way forward is engagement and openness, both to modify a dangerous regime
and to help its people.

Sydney's The Daily Telegraph says unlike his fellow gamers, Kim Jong-il's chubby son,
Kim Jong-un, has access to buttons that can launch nuclear weapons. Whether he is inclined
to push them is anybody's guess.

Similarly, it's doubtful whether North Korea's 25 million citizens are fully aware
of recent events outside of their country, including uprisings against tyrants across
the Middle East.

However, Kim Jong-un isn't the only young Korean with a knowledge of computers.

His dictatorship will doubtless feature the atrocities that marked his father's rule.

It is hoped Kim Jr's reign doesn't extend to his father's 17 years.

The Sydney Morning Herald says offshore processing is only one part of a regional solution
to the intractable problem or people smugglers.

The more important part of a regional solution to people smuggling involves geeing
up the governments of countries on the transit route to stop the smugglers where their
activities are detected in their territory.

What this latest disaster demonstrates is that whatever promises have been made, regional
co-operation is not working.

The government will have to work harder to motivate Australia's neighbours to play
their part in stopping this deadly trade.

Melbourne's The Age says the best way to stop asylum seekers risking their lives in
leaky boats coming to Australia is to increase substantially our humanitarian intake from
refugee camps in neighbouring countries.

The weekend calamity off Java has has prompted predictable but simplistic calls for
solutions to the problems of people smuggling and boat arrivals.

If Australia raised its intake, there would be much less incentive for people to risk
their lives on unseaworthy boats.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has acknowledged Australia can absorb at least 20,000
a year instead of the average 13,000.

Brisbane's The Courier-Mail says petty politics risks the safety of asylum seekers.

The issue of asylum seekers - especially a strategy to deter the lucrative trade in
human cargo by Indonesian-based people smugglers - must be above politics and callous
point-scoring.

People are literally dying to get here. Had they arrived safely seeking asylum, many
would likely have been found to be genuine refugees.

Grandstanding is not going to solve this very real problem, and it's time our political
leaders demonstrate not only a greater degree of maturity but also remember this is an
issue in which innocent lives hang in the balance.

Melbourne's Herald Sun says as we sit down for Christmas lunch or spend the day relaxing
on the beach, a Victorian Cross hero has urged Australians not to forget our troops fighting
in Afghanistan.

Corporal Mark Donaldson says for these soldiers it is a white Christmas - but with
the Afghan snow comes the biting wind that chills to the bone the 1500 Diggers serving
there.

Instead of stepping out into their backyard for an Australian barbecue, or on to their
favourite beach, they face stepping on an improvised explosive device (IED) or stopping
a bullet.

Don't forget our troops is the message of this brave Australian soldier.

AAP jxt/rs

KEYWORD: EDITORIALS

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