We are writing to you to publicise the plight of Nepalis in detention at a refugee centre near Melbourne so that others will not be victims. They were duped and cheated by a human smuggling mafia which promised to take them to Australia for a price of Rs 800,000 each. They were given fake French passports in Bangkok and flew to Australia where they, as instructed, destroyed their passports at the airport on arrival and claimed political asylum. They are now at the Marrybirong refugee centre and will probably be deported. They have lost everything, and now they have also lost their freedom. Our association has been visiting the Nepalis at the detention centre, but there isn't much we can do except to warn other Nepalis not to fall into a similar trap.

Benu P Adhikari, Nepali Assosiation of Victoria
Melbourne, Australia