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50 asylum-seekers sent back
The Australian government has sent back another group of Sri Lankan asylum-seekers, amounting to 50 persons. Since August 13, more than 700 Sri Lankans have voluntarily and involuntarily returned home, according to the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
“We will continue to return people to Sri Lanka. We will continue to transfer people to Nauru and to Manus Island – which on Friday (November 30) received its second group of transferees made up of 28 people, including family groups,” said a statement from Immigration Minister Chris Bowen.
Last week 100 people attempting to illegally sail to Australia in a fishing trawler were arrested. Concern is growing over the surge of people seeking asylum status, despite the Australian government’s stated determination to deport asylum seekers and the warnings of high-risk weather conditions at sea.
A Southern Naval Command patrol intercepted a trawler, named “SB Ali”, off Kirinda. Those on board included 86 men, eight women, four boys and two girls. They are residents of Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Gandara, Ampara, Kilinochchi, Batticaloa, Beruwala and Dickwella.
In the coming months, bad weather is expected in Australia’s northern waters, and Christmas Island will be the worst hit, warned Australia’s Rear-Admiral David Johnston, Commander, Border Protection Command, of Australia who was in Sri Lanka recently. “People should understand the situation and be aware of the risks,” he said.
Admiral Johnston acknowledged the challenges the Sri Lanka Navy faced. “I empathise with the Sri Lanka Navy. Sri Lanka is an island nation with a long coastline. It is a big challenge to patrol the seas around Sri Lanka,” he said.
Among the 8,000 asylum-seekers being held in Australian detention centres, more than 3,000 are Sri Lankan, Rear-Admiral Johnston said.
A delegation of senior officials from Australia was in Sri Lanka recently. They met the Navy Commander, Inspector General of Police, and senior officials of the Attorney General’s Department and the Ministry of Defence. They visited Trincomalee on Friday to review projects funded by Australia’s Immigration Ministry.
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