By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania
CANBERRA, Australia – Australia transported thirty young asylum seekers from Christmas Island to the mainland due to overcrowded conditions at the detention facility.
Earlier this past week, thirty Afghans, most of which are reportedly boys, will be held at Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation at Broadmeadows until immigration officers can process them.
Thirty-five individuals responsible for bringing asylum seekers to Australia were also taken from Christmas Island and brought to another facility in Darwin.
In addition, ten Afghan youths, who were relocated to Melbourne last September, have been released into the community.
The Christmas Island detention center has almost reached its maximum capacity, or approximately 1,432 individuals.
An immigration spokesperson for the Opposition, Scott Morrison, stated that the government must look into other facilities for holding the asylum seekers while they await processing, as Christmas Island is nearing its capacity.
“The government should be seeking to identify alternative off-shore processing options if they cannot accommodate people on Christmas Island,” he said.
The Opposition believes that the government’s actions will encourage the people smugglers, in that it will be possible for them to get these asylum seekers all the way to the mainland.
Advocates for the asylum seekers expressed approval for transferring the Afghan boys to Melbourne. However, they did not see that there was a reason to keep the youths in a detention facility.
A representative of the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre questioned the necessity of detaining youths who “fled persecution and are about to be granted protection.”
Immigration Minister Chris Evans indicated that these Afghan youths would get “priority processing” in the Melbourne facility.
The Government denied that overcrowded conditions on Christmas Island prompted the decision to move the asylum seekers.
Further, the Government indicated that relocating some of the asylum seekers is not a reflection of a shift in policy from those of the previous administration. Opposition officials claim that the current administration’s policy is undermining the system of offshore processing.
According to acting Immigration Minister Robert McClelland, children and families were transported to the mainland in some cases for processing under the previous administration.
Although the Government claims their legal status as offshore arrivals is not affected, the opposition believes that this decision may allow asylum seekers to challenge detention in the courts on the mainland.
Approximately 1,400 asylum seekers remain in detention on Christmas Island, just over 1,200 of which are in immigration detention, 102 individuals occupy tents, and the remainder lives in the community.
For more information please see:
Sydney Morning Herald – Young refugees taken off island – 24 December 2009
ABC News – Asylum seekers moved to Melbourne – 23 December 2009
Herald Sun – Asylum-seekers relocated to Australia – 23 December 2009
