Australia's High Commissioner Bryce Hutchesson this week sent a menancing warning to those fleeing Sri Lanka, stating "you will be caught".
"Every Sri Lankan people smuggling boat that has entered Australian waters in the past four years has been stopped, and all those on board returned to Sri Lanka," Hutchesson said.
"If you attempt to come illegally by boat, you will be caught."
"Australia's borders are closed to illegal migration. The tough border protection policies that have secured Australia's borders against the threat of people smuggling and prevented people from dying at sea remain in place."
His comments come as the Australian governmen today rejected the UN migration pact, claiming that the pact would 'endanger national security'.
Human Rights Watch criticised Australia's stance.
“Australia is a textbook case of how not to treat boat arrivals, by sending them offshore to endure abysmal conditions for years and trying to shirk its international responsibilities onto less-developed countries,” said Elaine Pearson, HRW's Australia director said.
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