Thirty seven Sinhalese and four Tamil asylum seekers from Sri Lanka sailed in a boat towards Australia and were intercepted west of the Cocos Island late last month by Australian authorities. They were returned to Sri Lanka, their point of origin, and they appeared in a court in the country's southwest yesterday.
Journalist Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai reports that the Sri Lankan deportees claimed that they were mistreated. He also tweeted (@DushiYanthini) photos and news from the ground:
“Australian officials were cruel&inhumane to us”~Sujeewa Saparamadu,wife of Daluwatte Don Ranjith. #SriLanka #LKA pic.twitter.com/vV59p27N78
— DushiYanthini (@DushiYanthini) July 8, 2014
Citizen journalism site Groundviews also commented:
#Australia Govt is *such* a good friend of #srilanka: It feeds our people expired food & gifts us retired boats http://t.co/MQayLkuVe0 #lka
— Groundviews (@groundviews) July 9, 2014
