Australia deports Lankan boat people

A group of 26 Sri Lankan boat arrivals were returned home on a charter flight before being assessed for a refugee visa because they did not trigger Australia's international protection obligations.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen yesterday announced the 26 adult males, who had reached Cocos and Christmas islands earlier in the week, had been returned late on Thursday.

"They did not make any case, any claims, which meant Australia had any international obligation to them," he said.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday said if people travelled to Australia without a credible claim "they should return to where they came from".

Bowen said the last remaining man who had arrived on the Chejan - the boat supposedly taken by pirates - had also been returned to Sri Lanka.

"As with the particular case of those people returned to Sri Lanka last week, there are powers available to the government to return people where they do not engage Australia's international obligations - and when appropriate we certainly intend to use them," Bowen said.

Courtesy: The Australian