Asylum row,Question mark over fate of latest refugees
The Australian government has ordered that over 400 unwanted asylum seekers be sent straight to the tiny Pacific island of Nauru. The decision came hours after an Australian court ruled the government had acted illegally in denying access to 433 mainly Afghan boat people rescued from a sinking ferry last month.
Federal Court Judge Tony North ordered the navy ship to dock at an Australian port and release the asylum seekers. They had been en route to Papua New Guinea after being stranded on a Norwegian cargo ship, the Tampa. The Tampa rescued them from a sinking Indonesian ferry on 26 August.
The Federal Court, sitting in Melbourne, said the government had detained the boat people illegally when it sent SAS troops on board the Tampa, and gave it until Friday afternoon to comply with its ruling.
The government said immediately it would appeal the ruling. It argues Australia has the right to refuse the asylum seekers.
"The fact is we will proceed as before," Australian Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said. "The orders that were given initially were orders that envisaged there may need to be an appeal."
Another boat carrying 130 asylum seekers has run aground on Ashmore Reef, off Australia's north west coast. The Australian navy is providing assistance to the boat, which was carrying 126 Afghans and four Iranians, including 19 women and 19 children, and five Indonesian crew.
