Another group of asylum seekers denied entry into Australia last month has gone ashore on the tiny island nation of Nauru, where their requests to be granted refugee status are to be processed.
About 119 refugees were ferried today (Thursday) from an Australian navy vessel. They followed an initial group of 100 migrants who left the ship Wednesday.
Most of those who have gone ashore so far were among 433 mostly Afghan asylum seekers rescued from a sinking Indonesian ferry in the Indian Ocean August 26th. A Norwegian freighter took the refugees toward Australia, but Canberra denied them entry.
The refugees were then transferred to the Australian navy ship, which picked up an additional 230 migrants from another Indonesian vessel September 7th.
Australia agreed earlier this month to pay Nauru 10 million dollars to house more than 500 refugees until their application process for asylum is completed by the U-N refugee agency.
New Zealand has agreed to take 150 women and children among the refugees.