A 'fair go'?

Wednesday, February 2, 2000 - 11:00

  • According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, in 1998 there were 21 million people "of concern" — those seeking or already granted refugee status.

  • Amnesty International estimates that a new refugee is created every 21 seconds. One in every 115 people on Earth have been forced to flee their home.

  • Australia hosts 61,800 people with official refugee status and 2300 asylum seekers: 0.2% of the world total.

  • Australia will accept only 12,000 refugees in 1999-2000.

  • In 1997, Australia accepted only 7% of the 9300 applicants for refugee status here. Africa, the poorest continent, accepted 83.5% of 49,270 applicants. Asia accepted 56.2% of 29,670 applicants. Germany took in 150,000 asylum seekers in 1998.

From GLW issue 391