[Greens-Media] Sen. KERRY NETTLE: Vanstone confirms killed Afghanis were on Nauru: shifts blame onto UNHCR and IOM

[Edwards, Jon (Sen K. Nettle)]

Vanstone confirms killed Afghanis were on Nauru: shifts blame onto UNHCR
and IOM

09.08.06


In response to Senator Kerry Nettle in question time today Immigration
Minister Senator Vanstone confirmed that two Afghanis who were reported
as killed upon their return from Nauru in a report by the Edmund Rice
Centre this week were in fact on Nauru. 

Senator Vanstone attempted to deflect criticism of the implementation of
government policies which led to their return and subsequent deaths by
querying whether the UNHCR or IOM may be to blame.

"Its simply not good enough for Senator Vanstone to claim that because
some asylum seekers were dealt with by the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees then their return to Afghanistan is not the
responsibility of the government. The Australian government took them to
Nauru and persuaded them to return to Afghanistan.

"The fact remains that many people were coerced and bribed by the
government to go home 'voluntarily'. Those who did not bend to coercion
and return were eventually found to be refugees and brought to
Australia. Some of those who did return are now dead.

"I spoke with two former Nauru detainees today who confirmed that they
had been told by officials on Nauru that; "you have to go back", "you
are rejected", "you cant stay here", " Australian govt says you must go
back to your country", "Your cases are closed"


SENATOR VANSTONE in Question Time today:

On whether killed Afghani asylum seekers were on Nauru,
"...we did in fact have a look at the two names provided by the Edmund
Rice Centre as being people that Australia has returned and in fact I
have been advised by my department that one of them was a part of the
Australian case load on Nauru but the other was a part of the UNHCR
caseload."

On whether UNHCR are to blame
"I will raise that matter with the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees in Geneva and see what they have to say about the implied
criticism..."

On whether IOM may be to blame
"as to the question of voluntary return I just make the point that we
work with the International Organisation for Migration....one of the
conditions of working with the IOM on Nauru is that there are no
involuntary returns - so I will take the matter up with the IOM as well
actually."



Contact - Jon Edwards 0428 213 146