Australia sends 41 refugees back to Sri Lanka

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

The Associated Press

SYDNEY -- Australia's government confirmed Monday that it had handed over a boatload of asylum-seekers to Sri Lankan authorities in a transfer at sea, drawing anger from human-rights groups that fear those on board could be persecuted in their home country.

The 41 Sri Lankans were intercepted by Australia's border patrol off the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean in late June, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement. On Sunday, they were handed over to the Sri Lankan government after their refugee claims were assessed at sea and rejected.

For days, Morrison refused to comment on reports that Australian officials had intercepted two boats carrying about 200 Sri Lankan asylum-seekers and handed them over to Sri Lankan authorities. On Monday, the minister again refused to say whether a second boat exists, and his spokesman did not provide clarification.

Late Monday night, Australia's High Court issued an interim injunction blocking the government from transferring asylum-seekers from the second boat to Sri Lankan authorities.

This marks the first time Prime Minister Tony Abbott's government has confirmed it had screened asylum-seekers at sea and returned them directly to their home country.

Among the asylum-seekers leaving Sri Lanka are ethnic Tamils who survived a lengthy civil war between government troops and the now-defeated separatist Tamil Tiger rebels. Refugee advocates say Tamils still face violence by the military.

Morrison said four of the asylum-seekers on board were Tamils and none was at risk of persecution.

A Section on 07/08/2014