Life in Australia worse than Afghan prison

Sydney Morning Herald - 14 August 2002

Dear Sir/Madam

Contrary to Russell Skelton's article (Life in Australia? It's worse than an Afghan prison, 13 August) no failed asylum seekers have been forced to return to Afghanistan from Australia.

Instead, the Governments of Afghanistan and Australia have been cooperating to ensure that those who seek to enter Australia without authority and who have no legal right to remain can be returned in safety and dignity.

A key element of this cooperation is the agreement reached between the Minister for Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, Philip Ruddock, and the Afghan Minister for Refugees Affairs and Returnees, Enayatullah Nazari, in Kabul in May this year on the voluntary return of Afghans to Afghanistan, supported by a comprehensive reintegration package.

This agreement built on the discussions between Australia, Indonesia and Afghanistan during February of this year, where Afghanistan committed to accepting the immediate return of any Afghans not in need of protection who arrive through illegal means in Indonesia or Australia.

This commitment reflected the understanding between the three states that the practice of people smuggling must be combated through all the mechanisms available to Governments.

To date a total of 22 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan with the assistance of the voluntary reintegration package, 15 from detention in Australia and 7 from the offshore processing centre in Nauru.

The package includes cash assistance of $AUD2,000 per individual adult or child or up to $AUD10,000 for a family unit comprising husband, wife and dependent children. There is also a range of support services available to people once they return to Afghanistan.

Skelton's claim that one man only received $AUD1,000 is wrong - all Afghans who have returned to Afghanistan since May this year have received the amounts of money offered to them under the reintegration package.

Australia's approach is consistent with the advice of the peak body representing refugees and displaced people in the world, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The UNHCR is recommending to governments that the time is now ripe for Afghans - wherever they are and whatever stage they may be in the asylum process - to be offered the option of voluntary repatriation.

The UNHCR has said many of the reasons that prompted people to flee only a year ago, under the previous Taliban regime, no longer exist.

Almost one and a half million Afghans have now gone home from neighbouring countries since the assisted voluntary return program began on March 1. The number of returns is still averaging about 8,000 per day, and UNHCR estimates some 2 million Afghan returns could take place this year alone.

Stewart Foster
Director, Public Affairs
Dept of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs