Vic: Kosovo refugee overdoses on drugs

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2000
Vic: Kosovo refugee overdoses on drugs

Faced with the prospect of being returned to her war-torn homeland, a Kosovar refugee
in Australia has taken an overdose of drugs.

Spokesman for the group ERIC LLOGA says the 17-year-old girl overdosed on tablets last
night or early today.

The girl was being housed at Bandiana haven, at Wodonga, on the Victorian/New South
Wales border, when she took the drug overdose.

Mr LLOGA says she's in a satisfactory condition at Wodonga hospital.

He says the remaining 259 Kosovars in Australia are unable to sleep and are increasingly
worried as the Federal Government increases its attempts to return them to their homeland.

Mr LLOGA's called for a one-month moratorium on any attempts to deport the refugees.

Today the 81 Kosovars won a weekend reprieve in the High Court.

But another 178 will be forced to leave Australia this weekend because they weren't
included in the court action.

AAP RTV gfr/smf/rp

KEYWORD: KOSOVO AUST OVERDOSE (MELBOURNE)

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