AAP | November 18, 2012 2:09PM
THE
federal government has sent more Sri Lankan asylum seekers home, bringing the
total number of Sri Lankans "involuntarily" returned to 282.
Immigration Minister
Chris Bowen said the 50 men were advised of their status and that they were to
be removed from Australia.
The men were returned to
Sri Lanka from Christmas Island on Sunday.
The group was made up of
recent arrivals from a number of different boats.
"They raised no
issues that engaged Australia's international obligations," Mr Bowen said
in a statement on Sunday, implying that they were not considered to be
refugees.
Without a valid visa,
the men had no legal right to remain in the country and had been removed at the
earliest opportunity, he said.
"The government
will continue to return people where they do not engage Australia's
international obligations," Mr Bowen said.
The latest group takes
to 282 the number of Sri Lankans returned involuntarily since the government
announced in August it would process asylum seekers in offshore centres on
Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
Since the announcement,
more than 380 Sri Lankans have returned home - both voluntarily and
involuntarily - "as people realise that these smugglers only sell lies and
false promises about what awaits people in Australia", Mr Bowen said.
