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Tuesday, May 10, 2011 - 04.35 GMT |
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Australia to send asylum seekers to Malaysia |
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Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a landmark new measure as part of a Regional Cooperation Framework that will help put people smugglers out of business and prevent asylum seekers making the dangerous journey to Australia by boat.
On Saturday 7 May, the Australian and Malaysian Prime Ministers issued a joint statement that outlined a groundbreaking cooperative transfer arrangement, that will mean any person who arrives irregularly by sea in Australia could be transferred to Malaysia.
The key message this will deliver to people smugglers and those seeking to make the dangerous sea voyage to Australia is: do not get on that boat.
Under this arrangement, if you arrive in Australian waters and are taken to Malaysia you will go to the back of the queue, the Australian High Commission in Colombo said.
The Australian Government believes that the only way to respond to what is a regional problem is to develop regional solutions.
That is why we worked closely with our neighbours including Sri Lanka to deliver an agreement for a Regional Cooperation Framework through the recent Bali Process Ministerial Conference, attended by Minister of Justice Rauff Hakeem, the Australian High Commission added.
As part of this framework, the Australian Government is also engaged in ongoing talks with Papua New Guinea about the establishment of a refugee assessment centre.
The understanding Australia has reached with Malaysia and the discussions with Papua New Guinea are examples of steps Australia is taking to work with the region to put a stop to this dangerous trade in people.
In 2009, the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said improved political conditions in Sri Lanka is one of the reasons that led to the jump in the number of rejected cases of asylum seekers in Australia, who should be sent home.
Regional representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Richard Towle said large numbers of people now coming through the asylum system in Australia are not refugees and "the challenge is how to find fair and humane, and effective ways of allowing them to leave this country to go home".
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