PMs new refugee deal

Afghan asylum seekers will be given money to return to their homeland under a deal struck yesterday between Prime Minister John Howard and the interim leader of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai.

The move is a softening in the government's stance on asylum seekers and is expected to reduce the numbers detained in Woomera, Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Government sources said the shift was aimed at preventing further escalation of the recent self-harm practices by some asylum seekers and as a response to growing concern, including from some Liberal Party supporters, about the plight of detainees. It also follows international criticism of Australia's treatment of asylum seekers.

Mr Karzai welcomed the offer, but said he believed the Australian Government should still consider the cases of those Afghans who wanted to pursue genuine claims for asylum or refugee status.

An Afghan official involved in the New York meeting, Omar Samad, told The Age that many of the asylum seekers had suffered greatly under the Taliban and would have deep apprehensions about returning.

However, the government is determined to retain its policy of mandatory detention and refusing to allow asylum seekers into Australian territory.

Announcing the deal after a 35-minute meeting with Mr Karzai, Mr Howard said an estimated 1100 detainees would be offered repatriation to Afghanistan. Details were yet to be worked out. He did not say how much would be offered to those going home.

But Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said up to 4000 Afghans now in Australia, PNG or Nauru could qualify when those freed on temporary protection visas were included.

"To assume that all of them would want to take advantage of an opportunity of that sort would, I think, be perhaps naive, but it would be of that order," Mr Ruddock said.

The government was still working out the details, Mr Ruddock said. With a new regime in place in Afghanistan, he said many Afghans had decided "there's no reason why they shouldn't be back rebuilding their country".

But Ray Funnell, acting chairman of Mr Ruddock's Immigration Detention Advisory Group, said Afghan asylum seekers feared returning to an unstable and unpredictable country. "These people say it doesn't matter if it's the Taliban or not, the people who are in power have persecuted us in the past and they'll persecute us in the future," he said.

Opposition Leader Simon Crean welcomed the initiative, but demanded details of its cost.

In New York, Mr Howard said the financial assistance package would be similar to that offered to Kosovo refugees in 1999, who were paid $3000 and $500 a child to return. "It will be more than nominal but obviously it will be reasonable," Mr Howard said. "It would be sensible, it would be useful."

The Afghan Government, meanwhile, is seeking "free and open access" to inspect Australia's detention centres and test Australian assurances that Afghan asylum seekers are being treated humanely.

Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah said after meeting Mr Howard that his government would send a delegation to Australia within weeks "to help solve the detention crisis". The delegation will ask to visit the centres and meet asylum seekers.

An Afghan official said the delegates would make their own assessment of the asylum seekers' claims for refugee status, but would honour Australia's right to determine the cases based on its laws.

Mr Howard also told Mr Karzai Australia would also offer other assistance to Afghanistan to help rebuild it after the conflict that overthrew the Taliban regime.


	GOVERNMENT NEWS \| home PMs new refugee deal The Age By LOUISE DODSON and MARK RILEY NEW YORK and MARK FORBES CANBERRA Friday 1 February 2002 Tandberg Afghan group plans detention centre visit Comment by John Menadue Ruddock responds Editorial opinion More at: Immigration Afghan asylum seekers will be given money to return to their homeland under a deal struck yesterday between Prime Minister John Howard and the interim leader of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai. The move is a softening in the government's stance on asylum seekers and is expected to reduce the numbers detained in Woomera, Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Government sources said the shift was aimed at preventing further escalation of the recent self-harm practices by some asylum seekers and as a response to growing concern, including from some Liberal Party supporters, about the plight of detainees. It also follows international criticism of Australia's treatment of asylum seekers. Mr Karzai welcomed the offer, but said he believed the Australian Government should still consider the cases of those Afghans who wanted to pursue genuine claims for asylum or refugee status. An Afghan official involved in the New York meeting, Omar Samad, told The Age that many of the asylum seekers had suffered greatly under the Taliban and would have deep apprehensions about returning. However, the government is determined to retain its policy of mandatory detention and refusing to allow asylum seekers into Australian territory. Announcing the deal after a 35-minute meeting with Mr Karzai, Mr Howard said an estimated 1100 detainees would be offered repatriation to Afghanistan. Details were yet to be worked out. He did not say how much would be offered to those going home. But Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said up to 4000 Afghans now in Australia, PNG or Nauru could qualify when those freed on temporary protection visas were included. "To assume that all of them would want to take advantage of an opportunity of that sort would, I think, be perhaps naive, but it would be of that order," Mr Ruddock said. The government was still working out the details, Mr Ruddock said. With a new regime in place in Afghanistan, he said many Afghans had decided "there's no reason why they shouldn't be back rebuilding their country". But Ray Funnell, acting chairman of Mr Ruddock's Immigration Detention Advisory Group, said Afghan asylum seekers feared returning to an unstable and unpredictable country. "These people say it doesn't matter if it's the Taliban or not, the people who are in power have persecuted us in the past and they'll persecute us in the future," he said. Opposition Leader Simon Crean welcomed the initiative, but demanded details of its cost. In New York, Mr Howard said the financial assistance package would be similar to that offered to Kosovo refugees in 1999, who were paid $3000 and $500 a child to return. "It will be more than nominal but obviously it will be reasonable," Mr Howard said. "It would be sensible, it would be useful." The Afghan Government, meanwhile, is seeking "free and open access" to inspect Australia's detention centres and test Australian assurances that Afghan asylum seekers are being treated humanely. Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah said after meeting Mr Howard that his government would send a delegation to Australia within weeks "to help solve the detention crisis". The delegation will ask to visit the centres and meet asylum seekers. An Afghan official said the delegates would make their own assessment of the asylum seekers' claims for refugee status, but would honour Australia's right to determine the cases based on its laws. Mr Howard also told Mr Karzai Australia would also offer other assistance to Afghanistan to help rebuild it after the conflict that overthrew the Taliban regime. home