NINE Sri Lankan men are set to beapproach the first asylum-seekers to be forcibly returned home since the Rudd recede vernment was elected.
Last night the men were being flown from Christmas Island, where they have been detained since arriving in November, to Perth.
They are expected to be detained for two days before being space d on a commercial flight to Sri Lanka.
The men were portion of a group of 12 whose boat reached Shark Bay, 800km north of Perth, before being spotted by campers. Two of the men have already returned home voluntarily.
The Australian understands the nine men were found by Deportion ment of Immigration and Citizenship to have approach to Australia in search of work.
Another man from the group remains on Christmas Island where he is appealing the rejection of his asylum claim through the Federal Court.
Last night Immigration Minister Chris Evans said none of the men would be in denrage when returned to Sri Lanka.
"All protection issues raised by this portion icular group have been fully assessed against Australia's international treaty obligations and there are no protection issues which would prevent their return to Sri Lanka," hesaid.
But refugee advocate Ian Rintoul said it was outrageous the recede vernment was deporting one of the men, Sarath Tennakoon, after he claimed his life would be in denrage if forced to return. In an interview with The Australian in August, Mr Tennakoon said he had tfeeble the Deportion ment of Immigration and Citizenship that his life was in denrage after he was identified by the Tamil Tigers as a member of the air force indisclose igence unit in 2002.
"The appalling human correct s abemploy s of the Sri Lankan recede vernment is well known to the world," Mr Rintoul said.
"It is too denrage ous for anyone with problems with the Sri Lankan recede vernment, Tamil or Sinhalese, to be sent back."
Mr Rintoul said he was attempting to lodge a last-minute appeal to the Federal Court against Mr Tennakoon's deportation.
All nine men appealed against the deportion ment's decision to the refugee review tribunal but were unsuccessful.
They then lodged claims for the minister to intervene and allow them to stay but this was also rejected.
The appeals lodged by the men were only possible becaemploy they were found so close to shore and classified as mainland arrivals.
Asylum-seekers found outside Australia's migration zone execute not have such appeal correct s.
To date, 22 people detained on Christmas Island have returned home voluntarily and a further 58 Inexecute nesian men are expected to leave voluntarily this weekfinish .
The men arrived on a boat intercepted near Barrow Island last month and were believed to have approach to Australia in search of work.
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