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Afghan asylum seekers 'forced to leave' camp
CANBERRA, Australia (CNN) -- A group of 113 Afghan asylum seekers have returned home from the South Pacific nation of Nauru, saying they were forced to leave because of unbearable conditions at their detention center. The group returned to Kabul after more than a year living in a refugee camp built by Australian troops. Australia says the refugees volunteered to return home, but the asylum seekers say they were forced to leave due to poor conditions. The refugees, including 110 men, 1 woman and 2 children, were flown by charter plane to Kabul on Sunday, before making their way back to their home towns and villages. The asylum seekers were rescued by Norwegian freighter, Tampa, last year in international waters, but Australia refused the freighter permission to land on Australian soil -- and sent the refugees to Nauru instead. Reintegration assistanceThe repatriated Afghanis were given A$2000 (US$1127) in reintegration funds each, according to Australian Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs Philip Ruddock. The offer, which climbs to A$10,000 for families, is considered generous given the annual average Afghani income is only A$200 (US$113). "The package offered by the government will enable these people to return home in an environment of safety and dignity to help in the rebuilding of Afghanistan," claimed Ruddock. The scheme was first introduced in May in an attempt to reduce the number of people seeking refugee status and clear the detention centers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Earlier this year, 42 Afghans were repatriated, but according to Ruddock this is the "first large-scale return from the offshore processing centers." More to return homeThere are still 549 Afghans in Nauru -- 318 have accepted the Australian government reintegration package and are expected to return to Afghanistan soon. Last year the Australian government brokered a deal whereby boat people rescued by the Norwegian freighter, and several subsequent boatloads, were transferred to Nauru, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to have their refugee claims assessed. Nauru agreed to take the asylum seekers in return for A$30 million (US$17 million) in assistance and an assurance the detention camps would be empty by May 31.
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