Melbourne: The United Nations refugee agency has warned the Australian government against separating families under the "people swap" deal it has planned with Malaysia.
Under the deal, Australia would send 800 boat arrivals to Malaysia and, in return, take 4,000 refugees from there over a period of four years, The Age newspaper reported.
The proposed swap has generated controversy after the government announced the deal on May 7.
A spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said, "Respect for the unity of the family is a basic principle of refugee protection."
Last month, the government announced the deal and said those who arrived after that date would be processed in a third country.
The UN agency has raised concerns about the fate of those who have arrived on boats since the plan was announced.
Comments
0 comment