KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — Australia plans to issue special identity tags to asylum seekers headed for Malaysia under a controversial refugee swap deal to protect them from “draconian” punishments here, The West Australian newspaper has reported.
The daily said Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has signalled that the boat people will be required to wear tags exempting them from caning and other harsh punishments sometimes meted out by local law enforcement.
The refugees will also be monitored by International Organisation for Migration to further protect from human rights abuses in Malaysia, the Perth-based paper added.
Australia announced last month that it will swap 800 boat people for 4,000 certified asylum seekers with Malaysia while footing the entire A$292 million (RM940 million) cost.
But the plan, dubbed the “Malaysian solution”, has come under fire from opposition and Labour lawmakers alike who accuse Canberra of abdicating its duty to humans rights by “oursourcing” the refugee problem to Malaysia.
Critics have also raised humanitarian concerns about Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s deal with Malaysia, which has been accused whipping and deporting asylum seekers.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has urged both governments to build humanitarian safeguards into the agreement, including assurances that asylum seekers will not be forcibly expelled to face persecution in their home countries.
The West Australian also said the refugee swap deal is expected to be finalised within days, following weeks of intense discussion between Australian and Malaysian delegations.
The paper added that terms of the deal could be revealed as soon as Monday.
Australia currently tries to intercept boat people in the Indian Ocean, who are then detained on its remote Christmas Island for processing, preventing asylum seekers from gaining greater legal rights by landing on the Australian mainland.
Under the refugee swap deal, asylum seekers will be housed in Malaysia for six weeks during which they will undergo security, identification and health checks before being released into the local community.
Australia currently has more than 6,000 asylum seekers in detention, originating from countries like Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
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