Australia wants man 27 years in country to go home

CANBERRA - Australian authorities are seeking to deport a Cambodian-born man raised and educated in Australia since he arrived as a 9-year-old about 27 years ago.

The unidentified man does not want to return to Cambodia, where six of his eight siblings are reported to have been killed. He says he no longer has any family or other contacts in Cambodia.

A report by the Commonwealth and Immigration Ombudsman, tabled in the federal Parliament yesterday, reveals his tragic past. It includes time spent in jail, where he had a history of self-harm that continued after being placed in immigration detention.

In May 2009, a noose was discovered in his room at the Villawood Detention Centre where he has been for almost three years. While the report concedes the man has not responded well to attempts at rehabilitation, it points out that having been in Australia for most of his life, he is basically a member of the community.

But despite his many years of residence, he is considered a non-citizen, and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship wants to "remove Mr X to Cambodia".

The ombudsman has recommended the man be considered for a visa until a decision is made about his long-term immigration status.

- AAP