Greens: Don’t Send Iraqi Asylum Seekers Back To Iraq

The Australian Greens have called on the Abbott government to rule out sending Iraqi asylum seekers home and allow them to apply for protection in Australia.

Greens spokesperson for immigration, Senator Hanson-Young said “In the last week over 500,000 people have been displaced and hundreds of others killed due to the deadly conflict unfolding in Iraq”,.

Given the worsening situation in Iraq, the Greens have said the Australian Government must issue a moratorium on returning Iraqi refugees to the dangers in Iraq.

Over 500 Iraq refugees are locked up in Australian detention centres and many thousand more in the community who have been unable to apply for protection.

“Iraqi asylum seekers already in Australia must be given an assurance they will not be returned to their homeland where they will face imminent danger and be offered the opportunity to apply for a protection visa.There is no doubt that this is a humanitarian crisis which requires a humanitarian response.” Commented Senator Hanson-Young.

Alluding to the reprieve that was given to Chinese asylum seekers after the a Tiananmen Square incident “We have done it before and we should do it again by extending a helping hand to Iraqi asylum seekers in need.”

“The Minister must lift the bar and allow these people Iraqi nationals who are currently detained in immigration detention to apply for the protection we know they deserve”.