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No Rohingya detainees returned to Myanmar

As Bangladesh struggles to deal with a refugee crisis, Australian authorities say no Rohingyas in detention have been removed or voluntarily returned.

The Turnbull government has confirmed no Rohingyas have been removed or voluntarily returned to Myanmar over the past year.

The confirmation by the immigration department came amid reports Australia was promising thousands of dollars to Rohingya refugees who agree to return to Myanmar, which is accused of carrying out ethnic cleansing against the Muslim minority.

A spokeswoman for the department told AAP on Friday as of August 1 there were fewer than 10 Myanmar nationals in detention facilities.

None had been removed to Myanmar or voluntarily returned over the past 12 months.

Guardian Australia reported on Tuesday up to seven Rohingya may be facing a return to Myanmar from the Australian-run facility on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island.

One man said he had been promised $25,000 by the Australian Border Force to return to Myanmar.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton declined to confirm or deny the report, saying if people were able to return safely back to a country of origin or to a region of origin "then we do that".

Labor has written to the prime minister seeking more information about what Australia is doing to ease pressure on Bangladesh, to which more than 410,000 people have fled violence since August 25.

Aid groups have urged Australia to consider raising the humanitarian intake.

Earlier this week the government announced $15 million in extra support including food, shelter, clean water and health services.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



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