AAP reports that “Afghani asylum seekers in immigration detention can be forcibly deported to their homeland under a new deal between Australia and Afghanistan.
Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone said 19 people detained either on the Pacific island of Nauru under the Australian government's Pacific solution or in Australia had been accepted by the Afghan government as nationals.
Those people could accept a reintegration package of $2,000 a person to return to Afghanistan voluntarily or be forcibly returned under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in Kabul by Australia's ambassador to Afghanistan Zorica McCarthy and Afghan Deputy Minister for Refugees and Repatriation Abdul Qader Ahadi.
"The arrangement provides for the re-offer of a reintegration package to encourage the voluntary return of these people," Senator Vanstone said in a statement.
"The package will include cash assistance of $2,000 per individual with a maximum of $10,000 per family, international and domestic travel, short term accommodation in Afghanistan, and access to vocational training and referral serv"
The MOU allows for the return of those who have been found not to be owed protection and who do not take up this reintegration package ices.
"Currently, on Nauru and in immigration detention in Australia, there are 19 people who have been accepted as Afghan nationals, by the Afghan government, and a further 37 people whose claims to Afghan nationality are being examined by the Afghan government."
Australia also agreed to provide $US4 million ($A5.29 million) for a housing project in Afghanistan to meet the needs of returned nationals.
"The housing project recognises the special challenges that Afghanistan faces in meeting the accommodation needs of the many Afghans returning to their country now that the situation is becoming more settled and will be used to accommodate people returning to Afghanistan," Senator Vanstone said.
Funding for the housing project is separate from a $110 million package of development assistance provided by Australia since September 2001.”
1 comment:
One unremarked aspect of Vanstone's statement is that 37 asylum seeker's "claim to Afghan nationality" are still being examined - when every one of those people have already been in detention for at least 3 and a half years.
The irony is if people who insist they are Afghani get rejected by DIMIA who believe they are Pakistani, the MoU with Afghanistan is of no use as that country won't accept them as having an entitlement to return there.
I was with the guys in Nauru when they were given the news of this MoU by a DIMIA official. The threat of forced deportation certainly added to their already high levels of anxiety.
fuller reports at http://andrewbartlettonline.blogspot.com/2005/05/flexible-minister-meets-unbending.html and http://andrewbartlettonline.blogspot.com/2005/05/out-of-nauru.html
Post a Comment