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A NUMBER OF African athletes who went missing from the Commonwealth Games last month have resurfaced seeking advice on gaining asylum in Australia, refugee advocates said today.
More than a dozen were suspected of fleeing during the showpiece event on the Gold Coast.
Among them were competitors from Rwanda, Uganda and Sierra Leone, while authorities have also been seeking to verify the whereabouts of eight athletes from conflict-hit Cameroon – one-third of the central African country’s 24-strong team.
The Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS) group in Sydney said it had received enquiries from several of them but declined to reveal the exact number or the countries of origin.
“Every person who seeks asylum in Australia should be subject to the same thorough investigation of their claims, be they students, visitors, workers or athletes,” RACS solicitor Sarah Dale said in a statement.
“The men, women and families who are recognised as needing protection in Australia are allowed to remain only after a complex and difficult process.”
The athletes’ visas were due to expire at midnight tonight and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton warned anyone who overstayed would be forcibly removed from the country.
“If people have claims to make, or they have submissions to put to the department, then we’ll consider all of that in due course,” Dutton told reporters.
But if people have breached their visa conditions – like anyone else, they’re expected to operate within the law, and enforcement action will take place to identify those people and to deport them if they don’t self-declare.
Those seeking to stay in Australia can apply for bridging visas to remain in the country while their claim for asylum is being heard.
Most of them haven’t a hope of being let stay the Australians seem to have a system somewhat fit for purpose
@johnp: Somewhat fit? You should read up on Naru. Australia’s behaviour to refugees is an abomination and they should be sevrally sanctioned.
@Kal Ipers: but I thought the refugees were fleeing persecution, so they should be happy in Nauru. It is not the Ritz but at least they are not at home being murdered
@Kal Ipers: The island is full of ‘illegal’ refugees who tried to gain access to Australia illegally. They have an option to return home if they wish but choose to stay on the island. I not saying this is the best solution but do you suggest?House every person who shows up on there shores and let the taxpayer foot the bill?
@Dylan McDonald: The Australian government is acting illegally and putting lives at risk. They are also exploiting Nauru. You should look up the suicide and self harm rate in their detention centre. Would you leave a detention centre to return to a place you could be killed on return. Australia has an international legal obligation to take them in. Their solution is neither legally nor morally acceptable.
@Kal Ipers: I know all those refugees from war torn countries like Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan and let’s not forget the Iranians who sew their lips together when their asylum was rejected. Australia and the Australian people have a right to protect their borders as the c fit
@johnp: they don’t have the right to do what they like. They signed international agreements on how they would behave.
@Kal Ipers: the current asylum system is broken and does not work the crisis in the Mediterranean shows this the EU and UN themselves admit that over 60% are not refugees but economic migrants, these people know they will not get asylum and disappear once they reach Europe
@johnp: Still not any excuse for Australia’s behaviour and illegal inhuman actions. That includes duping a captain into aiding a sinking ship and then refusing letting the ships come ashore.
@Kal Ipers: u need to read more according to international maritime law that ship should have gone straight to Indonesia, but those poor refugees threatened to start throwing people overboard if they did, then Indonesia refused to take them.
@johnp: You should pay attention Australia is breaking the law of many international treaties.
Athlete refugees is what we need like these guys… We could clean up at the next Olympics.
And we could do with doctor and engineer refugees as well…. But we never seem to get a lot like we were promised…..
@Jamie Jj Tobin: So why not train Your Own Doctors and Engineers?
@Roy Dowling: We do train more than enough…. But they keep on leaving the country for some unknown reason. My solutions is mention above, have you got any solutions?
@Jamie Jj Tobin: make them work for a number of years to pay for their expensive training or dont train at all just import them(doctors)
@Jamie Jj Tobin: We should train more doctors, but I have been told the the Medical Council controls the number of Irish students allowed to start each year…
@Jamie Jj Tobin: “They keep on leaving for some unknown reason” Are you actually serious???? We know the reason. Shyte working conditions, shyte pay, extremely long hours, poor work life balance, treated like crap… need I go on?
@Ian Walsh: Reminds me of the factory i work in…. Maybe i should leave the country as well!
We should apply the same laws here
Not a hope in hell of staying.australia take who they want with what skills they need.send them over here .we will look after them .house welfare medical card .maybee they have a few buddies who would like to join them.we are a good country who look after all nations and our doors are open to all.
You cant let them stay it a form of discrimination all of Africa is dangerous that means you have to let them all in.
have your say