Facebook icon
Twitter icon
e-mail icon

Australia deports asylum seekers to Sri Lanka

The Australian government deported at least 13 asylum seekers to Sri Lanka on Friday, according to a press release from the Australian High Commission.

“These non-citizens have been found not to engage Australia’s protection obligations, and have no lawful basis to remain in Australia,” said the statement. 

“Settlement in Australia will never be an option for anyone who attempts to travel to Australia illegally by boat”.  

The deportation marks at least the second such move in as many months. Despite reports of continued torture in Sri Lanka, the Australian government pledged to continue with forced deportations.

“Australia will continue to remove individuals and groups to Sri Lanka, on both a voluntary and involuntary basis,” the High Commission continued… Any people smuggling boats that attempt to reach Australia will be intercepted and turned back.”

We need your support

Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.

Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view

We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.

For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.