News Line : We will continue to return failed asylum seekers

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Friday, March 01, 2013 - 5.46 GMT

We will continue to return failed asylum seekers – Australian Immigration Minister

Australia will continue to return failed asylum seekers to Sri Lanka , Australian Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor said.

"The Australian government does not return asylum seekers without assessing any claims for protection against up-to-date information," he said in a statement.

Australia has retuned almost 1000 failed asylum seekers so far since August last year.

A total of 942 Sri Lankan asylum seekers have returned, both voluntarily and involuntarily, after they either failed to engage Australia ’s protection obligations, or voluntarily withdrew from the asylum seeker process after arriving unlawfully in Australia by boat.

There have been 213 voluntary returns, representing those who abandoned their claims for asylum, demonstrating clearly there is no advantage engaging with people smugglers.

The most recent group of involuntary returnees, totalling 19, arrived in Sri Lanka on January 17.

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Last modified: March 01, 2013.