Asylum seekers take Australian cash and return home

Dozens of asylum seekers held in a detention centre in Papua New Guinea have elected to accept cash from Australia to return to their home countries, officials and refugees said, the largest exodus from the South Pacific camp in four years.

Australia has ratcheted up efforts to clear the Manus Island detention centre of people who have twice had their refugee claims rejected, amid fears a deal for the United States to take refugees has fallen through.

Reuters reported late last month that asylum seekers were being repeatedly called to meet with Australian officials and pressured to take amounts of up to $25,000 to return to their home countries or face deportation.

Source: SCMP.