A week after over 100 asylum seekers, including Tamils from the North-East, drowned off the coast of Indonesia en route to seeking refuge in Australia, the Australian opposition leader, Julie Bishop, called for all aslyum seekers to be sent back to Sri Lanka without coming to Australia.
Bishop said,
"If the Government grants people from Sri Lanka refugee status, the Australian Government is accusing Sri Lanka of persecuting their own citizens,"
"Sri Lanka is already making a significant effort by preventing many boats from leaving their shores, however those who make it through should be the subject to an immediate arrangement to be transferred back to Sri Lanka without coming to Australia,"
"There is an extremely high rejection rate for Sri Lankan asylum seekers with the vast majority proving to be economic migrants."
"But once they are in Australia they can pursue their claims for asylum through our courts regardless of the merit."
In response, the Immigration Minister Chris Bowen, said,
"Now what I think you hear is the sound of goalposts moving,"
"They're becoming more shrill and more ridiculous."
"This is an extraordinary call from the Opposition and what they're effectively doing here is calling for us to remove ourselves from the Refugee Convention."
"There is no other conclusion that can be reached."
Related articles:
50 surviving asylum seekers in custody in Indonesia (01 Sep 2012)
Australian govt's moral of the story (30 Aug 2012)
Asylum seeker boat sinks en route to Australia (30 Aug 2012)
