Girl and grandmother on way home to Sri Lanka

11.00pm

UPDATE - A teenage Sri Lankan girl and her grandmother left New Zealand just before 10pm this evening, after associate immigration minister Damien O'Connor again refused to intervene in their removal.

After the decision the NZ Immigration Service said it would continue with the removal but would ensure the girl was fit to fly and there was adequate support for her at home.

Mr O'Conner said this evening that both women had been declared fit to travel prior to departure.

The girl and her grandmother fled to New Zealand in 2002 after she disclosed years of rape and abuse in Sri Lanka by male relatives, but the pair gave a fictitious account of political persecution and have been denied refugee status.

They had no existing family connections in New Zealand and did not meet immigration criteria.

Mr O'Connor had read a psychiatric assessment of the girl's condition after being asked to by lawyers when other avenues were exhausted. After reading it he sought further information, but today said he would not intervene.

The lawyer representing the girl, Philippa Cunningham, said she found the removal decision hard to understand.

"I'm really surprised given the information that the minister called for and received...."

She said Mr O'Connor was given a Child Youth and Family report in December about the girl and what was available for her back in Sri Lanka.

"... and it painted the picture of a child that had been severely traumatised and was utterly terrified of returning to Sri Lanka, and they had not been able to have it confirmed that there were any services available to help her when she got back there.

"But the minister made the decision he wouldn't grant her a permit to stay on humanitarian grounds."

Earlier this evening a spokeswoman for the minister said his agreement to read the report and later request for information was never a commitment to revisit his earlier decision.

Immigration Service spokesman Brett Solvander told NZPA the removal process was to continue as all correct procedures had been followed.

"She's gone through an exhaustive process from the Refugee Status Board through to the Refugee Status Appeal Authority, a High Court has looked at the intervention, the High Court has... essentially upheld the decision of the minister not to intervene."

Mr O'Connor said the NZ Immigration Service had made secure arrangements for the pair to be supported by female medical and police escorts on their return journey.

"The NZIS has also worked to ensure a comprehensive care and protection plan for the teenager, was in place on her arrival in Sri Lanka. The post-arrival arrangements for the pair will be assisted by the international agency, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which has extensive experience in repatriating people and assisting their reintegration to their home country."

Mr O'Connor said a condition of his approving the NZIS removal order was that the young woman would receive ongoing protection, supervision and medical care once repatriated to her homeland.

He said the IOM and an internationally recognised charity organisation will provide the necessary support during the young woman's resettlement. Representatives of the IOM and the charity organisation would meet the pair in Colombo.

"The charity organisation will provide a safe haven and secure accommodation. The young woman will be included in the IOM's reintegration programme in Sri Lanka. This programme addresses the educational, vocational training, medical, and re integration needs of returnees.

"I am satisfied that appropriate arrangements are in place for the post arrival care for the teenager and her grandmother, as recommended in the psychiatric review completed last week.

"The lawyers representing the pair were informed of my decision not to intervene earlier today."

Ms Cunningham said she had done all she could.

"I'm her lawyer and my job has been to advocate for her and that's what I've done but it looks like I've run out of options for her."

- NZPA and HERALD STAFF