FED: Asylum seekers don't believe UN

AAP General News (Australia)
12-25-2003
FED: Asylum seekers don't believe UN

A refugee rights group says Afghan asylum seekers on Nauru have no faith in a United
Nations offer to review their cases.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees yesterday offered to re-assess some of the asylum
seekers refugee claims because of the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.

The UNHCR also urged the Australian government to review the situation of the rest
of the detainees on Nauru, where 40 asylum seekers remain on a hunger strike.

But JACK SMIT from Project SafeCom Inc says asylum seekers believe it's a false promise.

Only twenty-two of the around 200 Afghanis on Nauru whose asylum has been refused were
processed by the UNHCR.

Mr SMIT says 11 of the hunger strikers are now in hospital after two weeks with no food.

AAP RTV ch/sco

KEYWORD: DETENTION (BRISBANE)

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