yes but the good news is ----------- The West Australian Updated June 21, 2012, 3:05 am Australia is edging closer to deporting its first failed Afghan asylum seekers to Kabul more than a year after the Federal Government signed an agreement with the country allowing forced returns.
The Immigration Department says 13 Afghan asylum seekers have run out of legal options in their fight to stay in Australia and bureaucrats are now working on their "involuntary removal".
The bulk of boat people who have arrived in Australia in recent years have come from Afghanistan but Australia has managed to send home just five Afghans - and they were removed voluntarily.
Australia ratified an agreement with the Afghan Government in May last year enabling the first forced returns but so far all failed Afghan asylum seekers have managed to stall their removal through courts and appeals processes.
The Australian Government has been anxious to return the first batch of Afghans to Kabul in the hope it could send a message to would-be asylum seekers: that they face a real risk of being kicked out of Australia if their claims for protection fail.
The Government has offered about $4000 in assistance to Afghans willing to leave Australia voluntarily, but the department said the Government should also consider offering financial assistance to some forcibly removed.
