Mayor: Shoot troublemaking detainees

Conditions in Australia's detention centers have been repeatedly criticized by human rights groups and the UN

PORT LINCOLN, Australia -- Controversial small town mayor Peter Davis has made headlines again, this time suggesting asylum-seekers held in Australian detention centers should be shot if they cause trouble.

The Advertiser newspaper reports Davis saying asylum seekers should be told to "settle down" or "they might get buried".

"We'll only have to shoot a few to get the message across," he is quoted as saying.

Australia has a policy of mandatory detention for all illegal immigrants attempting to enter the country. Several thousand are currently being held in prison-like facilities.

Many of the centers are in remote desert areas and conditions are often spartan, a situation which has attracted continuing criticism from international human rights organizations and the United Nations.

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There have been a number of riots and disturbances at the centers over the past two years because of the long processing times for refugee protection visas and the harsh circumstances.

The majority of those in detention are from Afghanistan and the Middle East and are brought to Australian shores on rickety boats hired by people-smuggling networks.

Davis says the boatpeople should be turned away at sea.

'Different drum'

"I don't hold anything against people of Islamic origin -- I happen to love their Persian rugs and their banking system," Davis said.

"But they beat to a different drum."

Davis was responding to suggestions asylum seekers could be moved to regional towns in South Australia which have been suffering from dwindling populations.

Port Lincoln has a population of about 14,000 people and is the home of Australia's thriving tuna farming operations.

As mayor, Davis's outspoken opinions have attracted attention in the past.

In 1996 he offended many by labelling the children of mixed-race parents as "mongrels".