____ wrote on Jul 3
rd, 2014 at 5:52am:
Asylum seekers are reportedly being secretly screened at sea via video link, potentially breaching international law.
One Sri Lankan naval official has confirmed that some hopeful refugees will be transferred into Sri Lankan custody at sea after being asked just four basic questions, although another Sri Lankan official denied the procedure.
Fairfax Media reports the asylum seekers are being asked their name, country of origin, where they had come from and why they had left before their claim for asylum is considered, but lawyer Julian Burnside says Australia could be guilty of refoulement.
Non-refoulement is a key facet of refugee law, regarding protection of refugees from being returned to areas where their lives or freedoms could be threatened.
"It is very clear the department is screening people to get them out as fast as possible and not with a view to assess whether they are refugees," Mr Burnside said.
Director of Human Rights Watch Elaine Pearson also questioned the practice, calling it "not only highly disturbing, but probably unlawful".
Christmas Island local councillor Gordon Thomson on Wednesday called on the federal government to confirm the accuracy of reports that asylum seekers had been transferred from Australian custody.
"It's a very, very, very disturbing story, if it's true," he told AAP.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/a/24374328/australia-assessing-refugees-at-sea/
Good job Abbott.
You know your on the right track when the head left wing handwringer from HRW is "disturbed".
And I suspect she is going to be "disturbed" for some years whilst the Coalition continues to put people smugglers out of business.
I believe that asking foreigners those four questions is an exercise in basic common sense given their lack of ID.
It's a bit hard to process someone if you don't know who they are or where they come from.
And given Labor's benefit of the doubt policy was sensibly removed by Scott Morrison, the questions are reasonable under the circumstances.
And the sooner these country shoppers are choofed off elsewhere, the sooner the government can get back to looking after the country.