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Refugee campus placement under review

The placement of refugees on a Sydney university campus via a Red Cross program will be reviewed in the wake of the arrest of a Sri Lankan man charged with indecent assault on campus.

2 min read

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Updated

By Andy Park

Source: SBS


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Sri Lankan man Daxchan Selvarajah, 21, will remain in custody after he was charged with aggravated breaking and entering, and indecent assault after allegedly forcing his way into Macquarie University's student accommodation last Thursday.

While not a resident there, he was reportedly visiting others in the Red Cross's Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme (ASAS) which at the time has 55 other asylum seekers living temporarily on campus.

The independent firm Campus Living Villages (CLV), who own and manage the mainly student accommodation, are currently reviewing the partnership.

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“[We will] discuss the future of the program with the Red Cross,” a spokesperson said.

“To date, CLV remains unaware of any evidence to support the allegation that the incident is linked to a resident at the Village.”

CLV declined to answer if this incident has brought about premature end to the arrangement and how long they intended to have Red Cross clients on campus.

CLV said they expected a decline as students returned to campus in March.

"[Numbers have] decreased to 45, as the 10 places have been taken up by student residents. CLV anticipates that the village will be fully occupied by students before the end of March.”

SBS has contacted the Red Cross for comment and Macquarie University itself has declined to comment further.

“[It's] a matter for Campus Living Villages Pty Ltd and for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. These organisations are the appropriate contacts for further comment regarding this matter,” a statment issued by the university said.


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