Over1,500 asylum seekers nabbed during past six months
Ridma DISSANAYAKE
Another boat heading for Australia held
Another boat with 65 would-be asylum seekers illegally heading to
Australia was taken into Naval custody on Sunday night in the eastern
seas.
Around 1,500 asylum seekers attempted to enter Australia illegally
during the past six and a half months, Immigration and Emigration
Department sources said yesterday.
Sources said 1,340 asylum seekers tried to illegally enter Australia
during the first half of this year.
Almost 60 percent of the boat people interviewed by Australian
authorities confirmed they commenced their voyage from Sri Lanka while
the rest claimed to be from refugee camps in India, they added.
According to Department statistics, the majority of asylum seekers are
Tamils, with Sinhalese and some Muslims among them. The Navy arrested
around 200 people attempting to illegally migrate to Australia in the
last four days. The Police said it prevented over 700 people illegally
migrating to Australia this year.
According to sources, Army, Navy, Air Force and Police along with
other agencies have come up with new strategies to curb human
trafficking and illegal migration. A three tier programme has been
implemented by Sri Lankan authorities and 250 asylum seekers who
attempted to flee to Australia illegally were arrested as a result of
this programme.
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