Vic: Refugee lawyer considers court action for Kosovars

AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-2000
Vic: Refugee lawyer considers court action for Kosovars

By Nick Lenaghan

MELBOURNE, April 4 AAP - Kosovo Albanian refugees ordered to leave Australia by the
weekend were likely to take legal action to stay, their lawyer said today.

Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock has ordered 259 of the 501 Kosovo Albanians remaining
in Australia to leave by charter flight this Saturday.

There are 370 refugees living at Bandiana Army Base near Wodonga, in north-east Victoria,
76 living at the East Hills Haven in Sydney and a further 56 living in the community,
a spokesman for Mr Ruddock said.

But many of those now at Bandiana were preparing for a court battle in order to stay
in Australia, their lawyer Basil Nuredini said.

"It is looking more and more likely - it's a real possibility," Mr Nuredini told AAP.

"There's one final step between now and court action," he said.

Mr Nuredini said the refugees would take a final decision on court action within 24
hours, after a final letter of appeal had been delivered to Mr Ruddock.

Almost 4,000 Kosovo Albanians were given safe haven in Australia and only 501 refugees
still remain.

Of the remaining 501 refugees, 110 have been given permission to apply for protection
visas, 130 are allowed to extend their safe haven visas mainly for medical reasons and
two have married Australians and are allowed to apply for partner visas, the spokesman
said.

The refugees are resisting the order to leave because they fear for their lives should
they return to Kosovo, Mr Nuredini said.

But a spokesman for Mr Ruddock said the immigration minister had examined all cases
and his decision was "not appealable".

"It would be disappointing if they did do that (pursue court action)," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said that legal action by the refugees now would make it more difficult
for Australia to open safe havens in similar situations in the future.

"It puts at risk Australia's ability to respond with temporary safe havens for refugees
in the future," the spokesman said.

AAP nl/er/bdm/br

KEYWORD: KOSOVO AUST

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