Australia to Expel More Than 1,000 East Timorese Refugees

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 28, 2001

Australia to Expel More Than 1,000 East Timorese Refugees

Australia Thursday rejected claims by 1,600 East Timorese asylum seekers to stay in the country despite a call from the United Nations refugee agency to give them special consideration.

Australia Thursday rejected claims by 1,600 East Timorese asylum seekers to stay in the country despite a call from the United Nations refugee agency to give them special consideration.

Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock dismissed requests from refugee lawyers that the East Timorese asylum seekers, some who arrived eight years ago, be allowed to stay in Australia.

He said refugee places in Australia's humanitarian programmes were scarce and should not be allocated to those whose homeland was now safe and secure.

But the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said applications for asylum should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

UNHCR worker Jake Morland said East Timor was relatively safe but some people would still have difficulties returning because of links to the former Indonesian administration or the amount of time spent away.

"I think for the majority the situation is safe to return, however it all depends on individual cases -- for some the situation is not yet right and it may never be right for return," he told Australian Associated Press from the East Timor capital, Dili.

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