NGOs condemn Australia for rejecting asylum seekers
5 May 2010 2:00 am

Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) and other NGOs condemned the Australian government's decision to suspend its processing of all applications for asylum from individuals from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, for three and six months respectively. Here is the statement, issued on 1 May 2010.

 Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) and other NGOs condemned
the Australian government's decision to suspend its processing of all
applications for asylum from individuals from Sri Lanka and
Afghanistan, for three and six months respectively. Here is the
statement, issued on 1 May 2010.

JOINT STATEMENT ON AUSTRALIAN ASYLUM
PROCESSING SUSPENSION: VIOLATIONS OF AUSTRALIA'S INTERNATIONAL HUMAN
RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS THAT UNDERMINE CIVIL SOCIETY EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN
REFUGEE PROTECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION

We, the undersigned, condemn the Australian government's
decision to suspend its processing of all applications for asylum from
individuals from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, for three and six months
respectively.

The Suspension Policy is predicated on a profound
misreading of the current situation in Sri Lanka and in Afghanistan. It
plainly violates Australia's human rights obligations, and may inflict
irreparable psychological harm upon Afghan and Sri Lankan asylum
seekers – many of whom are likely to be refugees and survivors of
torture and trauma.

The Suspension Policy undermines the efforts
of our organisations and other civil society organisations in the Asia
Pacific region to convince governments of the importance of ratifying
the Refugee Convention and protecting the human rights of asylum
seekers and refugees – as a matter of good international policy, and as
a matter of law.

Despite formidable obstacles, we are making
progress. We are deeply disappointed that instead of supporting and
strengthening our efforts – which would allow countries which host the
vast majority of refugees in the region, to share with Australia the
ultimate responsibility for protecting refugees – the Australian
government is sending a clear message that it does not respect the
binding nature of its international human rights obligations towards
asylum seekers and refugees. With this message coming from one of the
few countries in our region that has ratified the Refugee Convention,
we question the basis on which the Australia government expects its
regional counterparts to take upon themselves increased obligations
towards refugees.

Please click here to view the complete statement.