Fed: Refugees will refuse to leave Bandiana: spokesman

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2000
Fed: Refugees will refuse to leave Bandiana: spokesman

Kosovo Albanian detainee says his comrades will refuse to board buses to be taken to
other detention centres.

ALI JAHIU, 31, from the Bandiana base in northern Victoria says the refugees will only
be moved by force.

Mr JAHIU says the refugees, who are still refusing food and water, have been told by
government officials they will be taken to detention centres within two days.

Immigration Minister PHILIP RUDDOCK says a decision on where to detain the remaining
refugees will be made soon.

The refugees could be moved to detention centres in Woomera in South Australia, or
Curtin or Port Hedland in Western Australia.

Mr JAHIU's told ABC radio in Melbourne that new security officers had arrived at Bandiana,
near Wodonga, since the refugees were officially deemed illegal immigrants.

He says the Kosovo Albanians are continuing a hunger strike over the government's intention
to return them to Yugoslavia.

They say the government has indicated the group of refugees will be broken up and taken
to different detention centres.

AAP RTV gf/er/gmw/rp

KEYWORD: KOSOVO AUST ALI (MELBOURNE)

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