| Four Sri Lankan asylum-seekers have been asked to leave Australia after their applications for refugee status were rejected, the Australian High Commission in Colombo said yesterday. The High Commission was quoting a spokesman for the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).
The four persons include two Tamils, one Sinhalese and one Muslim.
The DIAC spokesman said the government’s position on asylum seekers was clear.
“People who are owed Australia’s protection under our international obligations will be granted that protection. All irregular maritime arrivals found not to be owed protection and with no other basis to remain in Australia will be removed,” the press release quoted the spokesman as saying.
The Australian Government is committed to dealing with irregular maritime arrivals in a timely and effective manner, and irregular maritime arrivals are interviewed and their reasons for travel to Australia assessed.
“This group was initially assessed as not having a valid claim for refugee status, and an independent merits review has upheld this decision,” the spokesman said.
This brings to 145 the total number of irregular maritime arrivals from Sri Lanka since 2008.
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