Activists block Tamil asylum seeker’s removal

The following media release comes from the Tamil Refugee Council press office.

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A 25-year-old Tamil man facing deportation to Sri Lanka has thanked Melbourne protesters who were today able to prevent him from being flown to Darwin from Melbourne airport.

Puvaneethan, who fears he will be tortured if returned to Sri Lanka, returned to the Melbourne Immigration Detention Centre this afternoon after an aborted attempt by immigration officials to fly him to Darwin, possibly en route to Colombo.

“I’m back in the room and I’m fine. I want to say thank you to all the people who helped me”, Puvaneethan told the Tamil Refugee Council.

Protesters, led by the Refugee Action Collective, forced the retreat by the officials after some passengers disrupted a Qantas flight when they learned that Puvaneethan was on the Darwin-bound plane and, possibly, heading back to jail and torture.

He was taken from the detention centre at 7 am today. Activists, who had been camping outside the centre, followed him to the airport, where they handed out leaflets to passengers at the boarding gate outlining his desperate situation.

One protester, 21-year-old university student Jasmine Pilbrow, who had a ticket for the flight, then explained his circumstances to passengers on board. By this time, he was sitting on the plane, guarded by security officers.

“After it was explained to the passengers what was happening, and that Puvaneethan was on the flight, two passengers stood up and refused cabin staff instructions to buckle up. They were escorted off the plane by the staff”, Pilbrow told the TRC.

“Police officers then came and spoke to me. I left the plane after they decided to take Puvaneethan off the plane. I walked off behind him.” He was then escorted back to MIDC, where he awaits news of his fate.

“We are thankful for the work of the activists and we are encouraged by the fact that the passengers intervened”, said Tamil Refugee Council convenor, Trevor Grant.

“However, this is not over yet. We are sure the government will be plotting another course of action to send this man back. We will all continue to work to ensure that this man and other Tamils are not deported to danger.”

[For further information contact the Tamil Refugee Council on 0400 597 351.]