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DANIEL HATCHThe West Australian Refugees have attacked Julia Gillard's plan to process asylum seekers in East Timor, saying the proposal is no different to the Howard government's

"Pacific Solution" and refugees are being used as a pre-election "political football". North Perth man Adam Janali, a 32-year-old Hazara Afghan refugee who spent more

than three years in detention centres during the Howard years, said the Gillard Government would be wasting money building a regional processing centre in East Timor. "It's the

same policy and in the end, after the election, all those refugees (now in detention) will end up in Australia just as the refugees in Nauru did even though prime minister Howard said they

would never be allowed here," Mr Janali said. He was upset the Government would not recommence processing of Afghan refugee visas and said it would have detrimental and dispiriting

effects on those in detention. Mr Janali's parents paid people smugglers to keep their son safe after the Taliban shot his disabled brother because "he was of no use to

anyone". He came to Australia via Iran and Indonesia and has not heard from his parents since. Ms Gillard announced yesterday that unlike Afghan refugee applications, processing of Sri

Lankan refugee applications would recommence. A 25-year-old Tamil refugee, who wished only to be known as Sam, said reassurances from the Sri Lankan Government that any refugees sent home

would be safe could not be believed. "It is playing a game, they're telling lies, they say they will take care of everyone but later they will come to every house and pick you

off," Sam said. GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM THEWEST.COM.AU IN YOUR INBOX. Sign up for our emails