Sri Lanka navy arrests 54 Australia-bound asylum seekers
September 6th, 2012 - 10:51 pm ICT by IANSColombo, Sep 6 (IANS) The Sri Lankan navy Thursday arrested 54 Australia-bound asylum seekers, Xinhua reported.
According to the Sri Lankan navy’s media unit, a boat carrying the asylum seekers to Australia was spotted off Mirissa beach, in the south of the country by navy boats.
Among the asylum seekers were 47 minority Tamils, five Sinhalese nationals and two Muslims. “Those arrested are residents of Jaffna, Vavuniya, Colombo, Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and Trincomalee,” the navy said.
Following a pre-dawn raid on the fishing boat, the asylum seekers were brought ashore and handed over to the police.
Around 1,000 people have been arrested in Sri Lanka this year while attempting to make the dangerous journey by boat to Australia as a number of others have managed to reach Australia by boat this year.
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- Mathai raises issue of Tamil fishermen with Sri Lanka - Oct 10, 2011
- India raises stone-pelting on Indian fishermen with Sri Lanka - Jan 23, 2012
- India assures Lanka's displaced Tamils of help in resettlement - Aug 31, 2010
- Sri Lanka releases 136 Indian fishermen - Feb 18, 2011
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Tags: asylum seekers, australia, boats, dangerous journey, dawn raid, fishing boat, minority tamils, nationals, pre dawn, s media, sri lanka navy, sri lankan navy, two muslims, vavuniya, xinhua