Tamil Sydney - Sri Lankan Government state-sanctioned torture brought Asylum Seekers to Australia

Sri Lankan Government state-sanctioned torture brought Asylum Seekers to Australia

Sydney Morning Herald : Asylum seeker claims he was tortured
A Sri Lankan asylum seeker detained on Christmas Island claims to be a victim of state-sanctioned torture and denies he has come to Australia for economic reasons.Sanje Selvanainar is among 82 Sri Lankans who will be sent to Nauru to have their claims assessed after Indonesia refused to accept the men for processing.Mr Selvanainar claims he was "detained and tortured" by the Sri Lankan army in January last year."We (were) in the army camp over the 45 days, our five friends (were) shot in front of me," he told ABC Radio.

"Everybody's had lots of problems, mostly (the arrivals are) guys younger than 22, 19 and 17 years.

"They can't continue their studies in Sri Lanka, they have a lot of problems in there ... Sri Lankan army torture ... we can't live there, that is why we came here."

Eighty-three Sri Lankans and two Indonesians were intercepted by the Australian navy in international waters near Christmas Island four weeks ago.

One of the Sri Lankans, a 31-year-old man, is having medical treatment in Perth after being flown there last week to receive treatment for a head wound - reportedly shrapnel lodged in his brain.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse - the man master mind and sanction torture camps ..

Sri Lankan Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has claimed the asylum seekers are economic refugees and have come to Australia to find employment.

But Mr Selvanainar strongly denies this, saying the lives of all the arrivals were at risk in Sri Lanka.

"We don't have any economical problems in our country, we need only to save our life, that is why we came here," he told ABC Radio.

Mr Selvanainar said the group wanted to remain on Christmas Island to have its claims assessed.

Courtesy:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Asylum-seeker-claims-he-was-tortured/2007/03/16/1173722744103.html

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