Baby, parent victims of Christmas Island boat tragedy buried

Relatives and friends of asylum seekers killed in December's boat tragedy off Christmas Island have buried two babies and the father of an eight-year-old survivor in Sydney.
As many as 50 people died when the asylum seeker vessel SIEV 221 crashed on rocks and broke apart off Christmas Island's Rocky Point on December 15.
The three victims were buried at Rookwood Cemetery in western Sydney this morning beneath grey skies and light rain.

Advertisement: Story continues below

Mourners grieve for their lost loved ones at the funeral in Sydney today. Photo: Getty Images

They were three-month-old Sam al-Hussainy from Iraq, whose mother and sister are still missing; eight-month-old Zahra el Ibrahimy from Iraq, whose 23-year-old mother Znan is lost at sea; and a man identified only as Farhan, whose eight-year-old son attended his burial.
Survivors of the tragedy are in the meantime being housed as detainees at Christmas Island while their refugee status is being assessed.
The Department of Immigration arranged for some of them to be bussed to the burials at Rookwood.
Among them was Hossin Hussainy, the father of baby Sam.
Mr Hussainy said he was disappointed he was required to return to Christmas Island as early as Thursday.
"They haven't given us any time to talk to relatives," he said of Department of Immigration officials after the burial.
Maisaa Al-Gaderi, 33, of Iran, also attended the burial. Now living in Sydney, Ms Al-Gaderi said she was one of those on the boat associated with the "children overboard" scandal almost 10 years ago.
She is a cousin of the three-month-old buried today.
She was critical of the Australian government for not allowing the relatives of the deceased to wash their bodies before they were buried.
"The government said no," she said.
Wollongong Imam Yonis Al-Muzasai oversaw the burial.
He also said those from Christmas Island needed longer in Sydney so they could grieve.
"The government should consider that, according to their culture, they should be allowed seven days to stay in Sydney with their families at least," he said.
Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said the burial should have taken place much sooner than Tuesday.
"The way the Australian government has treated these people is shabby beyond belief," he said.
"There is no question of identification. There is no investigation, that means some of these people could have been dealt with properly much earlier."