聯合國批評澳大利亞難民政策

Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers under its tough mandatory detention policy has been criticized by a leading United Nations representative. At the end of a six-day visit, Navi Pillay, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, says the policy breaches Australia’s international human rights obligations. She has also warned that Canberra’s plan to send 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia is likely to violate refugee law.

聯合國高級官員對澳大利亞的難民政策提出批評。澳大利亞對尋求政治庇護的難民一律進行拘留審查。聯合國人權事務高級專員納維.皮萊在結束對澳大利亞的6天訪問之前說，這種政策違反了澳大利亞的國際人權義務。她還警告說，堪培拉計劃將800名難民送往馬來西亞的作法很可能也違反了難民法。

During her brief trip to Australia, the U.N. high commissioner spent time at two immigration detention centers in the northern city, Darwin.

聯合國人權事務高級專員納維.皮萊在訪問澳大利亞期間訪問了北部城市達爾文的兩個移民拘留中心。

Pillay says she saw what she calls “the grim despondency of asylum seekers” who have spent months waiting to be released.

她說她看到了尋求避難人士的嚴重沮喪，這些人在拘留中心爲等待獲釋已經熬了幾個月了。

The senior U.N. official, who was invited by the government, also took aim at Australia’s plans to send hundreds of asylum seekers to Malaysia to ease pressure on overcrowded detention camps and to try to stop a steady flow of boat people.

這名聯合國高級官員是應澳大利亞政府的邀請前去考察該國移民政策的。納維.皮萊還要考察澳大利亞爲減輕拘留中心過度擁擠而準備遣返數百名馬來西亞難民的計劃。澳大利亞這樣做是爲了制止尋求避難的船民持續不斷抵達澳大利亞。

Ministers say the agreement, under which the Malaysians will send to Australia 4,000 long-term refugees whose claims for protection have been approved, will disrupt the activities of people smugglers. The hope is that, by denying criminal gangs the chance to guarantee their fee-paying passengers direct passage to Australia, their business will dry up.

澳方部長說，這項協議允許馬來西亞向澳大利亞輸送4000名長期難民，這些人的難民申請已經得到批准。這種做法可以制止人口走私活動。如果犯罪集團無法收取費用，將人運往澳大利亞，他們的生意就會逐步走上絕路。

However, Pillay believes the plan is illegal.

然而納維皮萊認爲這個計劃是非法的。“If Australia is serious about this policy of sending 800 people out to Malaysia, then I think it violates refugee law," she said. "They cannot send individuals to a country that has not ratified the torture convention, the convention on refugees. So there are no protections for individuals in Malaysia. And, Australia, of all people, that upholds the standards internationally should not collaborate with these kinds of schemes.”

她說：“如果澳大利亞有意要推行這一計劃，將800人送往馬來西亞，那麼我認爲這違反了難民法。他們不可以將申請庇護的人送往沒有批准反酷刑公約以及難民公約的國家。因爲這些人在馬來西亞無法獲得保護。而堅持國際準則的澳大利亞絕不應該跟這種圖謀進行合作。”

Pillay has held what she describes as "frank and forthright" talks on the Malaysian plan with Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd.

皮萊專員同澳大利亞總理陸克文就這項馬來西亞計劃進行了她所說的坦率和誠摯的會談。

The flow of boat people arriving in Australia’s isolated northern waters has become a great irritant to the Labor government. It is battling allegations from its political opponents that it has lost control of Australia’s borders - an issue that resonates with many voters.

乘船進入澳大利亞北方孤立水域的難民持續不斷，已經成了令執政的工黨頭疼的問題。反對黨指控說工黨已經失去了對澳大利亞邊境的控制，這個問題讓很多選民產生了共鳴。

The U.N. high commissioner for human rights also visited an aboriginal community in Yarrabah, outside Cairns in Queensland. She says, although Australia “has a strong history of commitment to human rights,” its treatment of its indigenous peoples is poor.

聯合國人權事務高級專員皮萊還訪問了昆士蘭凱恩斯郊外的一個原住民社區。皮萊說，儘管澳大利亞長期致力於維護人權，但對本國原住民的待遇卻很差。

Pillay says efforts to help the nation’s most disadvantaged people are being undermined by policies that have failed to recognize the right to self-determination for Australia’s aborigines.

皮萊說，幫助本國最弱勢羣體的努力受到了政策措施的阻礙，這些政策沒能承認澳大利亞原住民的自決權。

They make up about two percent of the population, but suffer disproportionately high rates of ill-health, imprisonment and unemployment.

原住民大約佔澳大利亞人口的2%，但這些族羣出現的健康問題，被關押率以及失業率都不成比例地高於其它人羣。