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Tampa Asylum Seekers to be Released into Australia: Federal Court
The Australian federal court Tuesday prevented the government shipping the Tampa boat people to the Port Moresby.
According to the Australian Associated press, Federal Court judge Justice Tony North ruled that the Tampa asylum-seekers should be released into the mainland of Australia.
He gave the government until September 14 to carry out his order unless there was an appeal.
The Norwegian cargo ship "Tampa" rescued 433 refugees from a sunken boat on August 26 and was rejected from entering into Australian water since August 27. After an eight-day stand-off, a group of mostly Afghans were transferred to an Australian naval troop ship the "Manoora" and headed for the Port Moresby, with another more than 200 refugees picked up on international water on its route.
Earlier, the government pledged it would appeal to the high court if lost the case.
Human right group urged the federal court to give order to let the boat people onshore.
Australia has been trying very hard not to allow this group of refugees to land on its mainland in order to give the world a message that Australia is not an easy destination for refugees. Till now, the government has spent more than 70 million Australian dollars (about 35 million U.S. dollars) for doing that.
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