Suspension of asylum applications illogical
The Australian Government’s decision to suspend the applications of asylum seekers from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan defies logic. That’s according to advocates who have monitored the situation in each country and say they are not safe for refugees to return to. The minister for Immigration and Citizenship- Chris Evans- said the decision was made as the result of “evolving circumstances”, and that it would ensure that only genuine refugees would be granted asylum. But the Government’s own travel advice indicates that the countries in question are far from safe. Featured in story: Phil Glendenning- Director of the Edmund Rice Center, David Feith – author of Conflict in Sri Lanka and Stalemate: Refugees in Asia and Julian Burnside- human rights advocate and barrister.