Fed: Burmese refugees to be resettled in Australia

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2007
Fed: Burmese refugees to be resettled in Australia

A group of seven Burmese asylum-seekers .. held on the Pacific island of Nauru for
more than a year in immigration detention .. will be resettled in Australia as refugees
before Christmas.

An Immigration Department taskforce travelled to Nauru yesterday to finalise their
refugee applications .. and prepare for their resettlement .. subject to health and character
checks.

Department of Immigration and Citizenship secretary ANDREW METCALFE says in a statement
the group has been assessed as having a well-founded fear of persecution should they be
returned home.

Mr METCALFE says it's expected the seven will be settled in Brisbane before Christmas.



Meanwhile .. he says further decisions will be made soon about resettlement arrangements
for the 74 Sri Lankans in Nauru who also have been found to be refugees .. and decisions
on a further eight Sri Lankans on Nauru are pending.

AAP RTV jrd/ao/psm/

KEYWORD: DETENTION BURMESE (MELBOURNE)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.