Australia ships out asylum seekers

By CNN's Atika Shubert on Christmas Island

CHRISTMAS ISLAND, Australia (CNN) -- Residents of Christmas Island have waved goodbye to more than 400 asylum seekers who had become their floating neighbors for more than a week.

Aboard the Australian troop carrier, the Manoora, the asylum seekers embarked on what should be the final leg of a harrowing journey to a better life.

As the lights of the Manoora winked out over the horizon, rows of empty tents flapped on the beachfront in anticipation of a landing that never happened.

The Tampa, the Norwegian vessel that came to the rescue of the asylum seekers only to become the epicenter of a diplomatic standoff, resumed its route to Singapore.

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In honor of the captain, Arne Rinnan, residents pooled together to send the Tampa off with a fireworks display calling it a "Christmas Island salute".

"It went off remarkably smoothly," said Don O'Donnel, Christmas Island Harbormaster. "I am sure we now have a very happy prime minister."

End of a dangerous journey

Despite international pleas for Australia to accept the asylum seekers, Prime Minister John Howard chose this case to show that he was cracking down on "queue jumping" or illegal immigrants hoping to find quick entry into Australia, subverting the refugee process.

Ironically, the asylum seekers may eventually settle in Australia, but not without several administrative stopovers.

The Manoora is set for a 6 to 10 day voyage to Papua New Guinea where the asylum seekers will disembark before flying to New Zealand and the island nation of Nauru for processing as possible refugees.

Should they pass muster as refugees, they will have the option of resettling in Australia and other receiving countries.

If an Australian human rights group has its way, the asylum seekers may find their way to Australia soil even sooner.

The Victorian Council for Civil Liberties filed a case on behalf of the asylum seekers arguing that, since they had already entered Australian territorial waters, they should undergo the refugee screening process in Australia.

Should the judge rule against the government and in favor of the asylum seekers, the Manoora would be forced to return and disembark the passengers on Australian territory.

Christmas Island relieved

Residents appeared relieved that the immediate crisis was resolved, but remained unconvinced that the decision to turn away these asylum seekers would prevent more from coming.

The island community has become accustomed to frequent boatloads of illegal immigrants traveling from Indonesia to Christmas Island, one of the nearest points within Australian territory.

"Basically, we are all refugees when we consider the Australian population. Since white settlement, since aborigines were displaced on mainland Australia, wave after wave of refugees have come here," local political leader, Gordon Thompson, said in the thick of the standoff.

"People come as refugees here to escape political persecution, famine and war."

Despite the departure of the asylum seekers, Christmas Island stands ready for more illegal immigrants. The empty tents will be folded away and stored for the next batch of would-be refugees that wash up on Christmas Island shores.