Posted on 12/15/2002 9:00:01 AM PST by hoosierskypilot
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghans who failed to win asylum in Australia returned home voluntarily Sunday after spending more than a year on the Pacific island state of Nauru.
Cy Winter of the International Organization for Migration said 119 Afghans returned aboard an IOM-chartered Air Holland Boeing 757. He said 113 others returned to Afghanistan in November and 431 were still in an IOM processing center in Nauru.
The migrants were intercepted at sea last year while en route to Australia and have spent most of their time on Nauru while waiting for their asylum claims to be processed.
Those volunteering to return home were given $1,100 along with new clothes and shoes. IOM was also facilitating transport from the capital Kabul to their home villages.
(Excerpt) Read more at modbee.com ...
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