THIS week as our media reports on the 153 asylum seekers being held on an Australian Customs vessel, our asylum seeker and refugee policies are attracting negative worldwide media attention.
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The New York Times, The Guardian and The Independent in the UK, the BBC World Service, The Irish Times, al-Jazeera, India's Business Standard and Zee News all published stories on Immigration Minister Scott Morrison's controversial decision last week to return the 41 asylum seekers to Sri Lankan authorities.
The group of 41 were taken to Boosa gaol, and could face enormous intimidation and two years' imprisonment.
Sri Lankan police spokesman Ajith Rohana told Reuters: “The asylum seekers will be charged for leaving the country illegally.”
On July 4, American Independence Day, The New York Times editorial was devoted to Australia’s asylum seeker policies. The piece was titled "Australia's Refugee Problem".
“Australia is pursuing draconian measures to deter people without visas from entering the country by boat. In doing so, it is failing in its obligations under international accords to protect refugees fleeing persecution… There is something about the boat people that has provided politicians with an exploitable issue that does Australia's otherwise commendable record on refugees no good."– NY Times.
"Australia is facing international condemnation” - The Independent, UK.
"Australia has confirmed it handed over a boatload of asylum seekers to Sri Lankan authorities in a transfer at sea, drawing outrage.." - al-Jazeera.
The United Nations High Commission on Refugees also issued two statements expressing deep concern about the return of Sri Lankan asylum seekers. “UNHCR's experience (of) shipboard processing has… not been positive. Such an environment would rarely afford an appropriate venue for a fair procedure," the statement read.
Fifty-three international law academics from 17 Australian universities condemned Australia's return of asylum seekers to Sri Lanka as it risks sending vulnerable people back to persecution and torture.
Australia's conduct under Operation Sovereign Borders “clearly violates international law”, their statement read.
This week, the group of 153 asylum seekers being held on an Australian Customs vessel awaits the outcome of an application to the High Court that may prevent them being handed over to Sri Lankan authorities.
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