Australia’s co-operation with Sri Lanka has been seriously questioned in a new report by international human rights lawyers, who say that it is deeply flawed and jeopardises asylum seekers’ attempts to seek safety.
The report by the Human Rights Law Centre condemns Australia’s ‘‘stopping the boats’’ policy in Sri Lanka where asylum seekers are often sent back to Sri Lankan militaries, the authorities they are fleeing from.
Australia continually claims that no asylum seekers sent back to Sri Lanka have been harmed, but documents obtained by a freedom of information request established at least one instance where Australia received a complaint that a man had been “severely tortured” upon his return, the report said.
‘‘The Australian Federal Police officer in Colombo, despite being in the police building where the complainant was being held, declined an invitation to meet with the complainant to assess his well-being,’’ it said.
Australia’s cooperation with the Sri Lankan authorities has effectively erected barriers to prevent all Sri Lankans travelling by boat from seeking asylum, without providing alternative safe pathways, the report said.
‘‘Australia has formed a dangerously close relationship with the Sri Lankan military and police to block Sri Lankans from leaving their country to seek protection,’’ author of the report, Emily Howie, said.
‘‘The Sri Lankan military is implicated in allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Torture and mistreatment including the rape of men and women, is reportedly widespread in police custody.’’
The report calls on the Australian government to support efforts by the international community to conduct an investigation into the alleged war crimes being committed in Sri Lanka.
Australia has continually refused to back an independent international investigation into alleged war crimes during the Sri Lankan civil war as the government of the island nation rejected a new report detailing “credible” claims of civilian bombings, extrajudicial killings and other abuses. (SundayMorningHerald)
