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 [1] late last month by Australian authorities. They were returned to Sri Lanka [2], their point of origin, and they appeared in a court in the country's southwest yesterday.
Journalist Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai reports [3] that the Sri Lankan deportees claimed that they were mistreated. He also tweeted [4] (@DushiYanthini) photos and news from the ground:
“Australian officials were cruel&inhumane to us”~Sujeewa Saparamadu,wife of Daluwatte Don Ranjith. #SriLanka [5] #LKA [6] pic.twitter.com/vV59p27N78 [7]
— DushiYanthini (@DushiYanthini) July 8, 2014 [8]
Citizen journalism site Groundviews also commented:
#Australia [9] Govt is *such* a good friend of #srilanka [10]: It feeds our people expired food & gifts us retired boats http://t.co/MQayLkuVe0 [11] #lka [12]
— Groundviews (@groundviews) July 9, 2014 [13]