联合国批评澳大利亚难民政策

Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers under its tough mandatory detention policy has been criticized by a leading United Nations representative. At the end of a six-day visit, Navi Pillay, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, says the policy breaches Australia’s international human rights obligations. She has also warned that Canberra’s plan to send 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia is likely to violate refugee law.

联合国高级官员对澳大利亚的难民政策提出批评。澳大利亚对寻求政治庇护的难民一律进行拘留审查。联合国人权事务高级专员纳维.皮莱在结束对澳大利亚的6天访问之前说，这种政策违反了澳大利亚的国际人权义务。她还警告说，堪培拉计划将800名难民送往马来西亚的作法很可能也违反了难民法。

During her brief trip to Australia, the U.N. high commissioner spent time at two immigration detention centers in the northern city, Darwin.

联合国人权事务高级专员纳维.皮莱在访问澳大利亚期间访问了北部城市达尔文的两个移民拘留中心。

Pillay says she saw what she calls “the grim despondency of asylum seekers” who have spent months waiting to be released.

她说她看到了寻求避难人士的严重沮丧，这些人在拘留中心为等待获释已经熬了几个月了。

The senior U.N. official, who was invited by the government, also took aim at Australia’s plans to send hundreds of asylum seekers to Malaysia to ease pressure on overcrowded detention camps and to try to stop a steady flow of boat people.

这名联合国高级官员是应澳大利亚政府的邀请前去考察该国移民政策的。纳维.皮莱还要考察澳大利亚为减轻拘留中心过度拥挤而准备遣返数百名马来西亚难民的计划。澳大利亚这样做是为了制止寻求避难的船民持续不断抵达澳大利亚。

Ministers say the agreement, under which the Malaysians will send to Australia 4,000 long-term refugees whose claims for protection have been approved, will disrupt the activities of people smugglers. The hope is that, by denying criminal gangs the chance to guarantee their fee-paying passengers direct passage to Australia, their business will dry up.

澳方部长说，这项协议允许马来西亚向澳大利亚输送4000名长期难民，这些人的难民申请已经得到批准。这种做法可以制止人口走私活动。如果犯罪集团无法收取费用，将人运往澳大利亚，他们的生意就会逐步走上绝路。

However, Pillay believes the plan is illegal.

然而纳维皮莱认为这个计划是非法的。