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Tonight's Dateline: Sri Lanka's New Wave

Why are asylum seekers from Sri Lanka turning up on boats in Australian waters in ever increasing numbers?

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Immediately following the premiere of the new series of Go Back To Where You Came From, Mark Davis presents a special edition of Dateline from Sri Lanka tonight at 9.40pm on SBS ONE.

He joins the Sri Lankan navy as it intercepts another boat loaded with asylum seekers bound for Australia, and asks: now the country's civil war is over, why are things so bad that people are still desperate to leave?

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And Mark talks to human traffickers, who tell him they are undeterred by Australia's tough new offshore processing laws.

The Sri Lankan Government says life is improving and people should be more patient, but why is its message failing to get across?

Mark interviews Media and Information Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, about the serious political issues still facing Sri Lanka.

And he hears from expert, Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, that the dire economic situation is now also playing a role in driving people to flee.

Also on tonight's program, Evan Williams reports from southern India, where 140,000 Tamils sought refuge during the war in Sri Lanka.

The refugees say they now fear for their safety if they return to their homeland, and say they are desperate to reach Australia at any cost.

Evan's report looks at how the people smugglers operate, and gives a graphic account of the conditions asylum seekers face on board the boats.

See Dateline's special on Sri Lanka's asylum seekers on Tuesday at 9.40pm on SBS ONE, and read more now on the Dateline website.


2 min read

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By Dateline

Source: Dateline


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