PNG prepared to remove refugees
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Papua New Guinea’s defence force is poised to evict hundreds of refugees who are refusing to leave the Australian detention camp on Manus Island, a senior military official says.
The base’s commanding officer, Begsy Karaki, said no ‘‘arbitrary action’’ would be taken against the men refusing to leave the detention centre inside Lombrum naval base, but he warned that officers might have no choice but to forcefully evict them if the situation continued to escalate.
Karaki told PNG newspaper the Post-Courier that the more than 600 men refusing to leave the now- decommisioned centre were still under the care of the PNG immigration office and Australia, and no action would be taken by his officers unless instructed to by their headquarters.
The refugees and asylum seekers have spent the nights in darkness at the Australian-run refugee processing centre, sustaining themselves on stockpiled food and water since official personnel left on Tuesday. They have also expressed concerns for their safety. Asylum seeker advocates say the facilities to rehouse them are not ready.
The men have been drinking and washing in water collected in rubbish bins at the centre.
‘‘This is Australia’s problem now being brought in here, and we are getting blamed for issues we did not create. We hope there are some solutions quickly, so we carry on with our duties and tasks,’’ Karaki said.
PNG’s former prime minister and elder statesman Sir Michael Somare has also blasted the Australian government and called for the men remaining on Manus Island to be sent to Australia.
In a statement yesterday, he called Australia’s treatment of refugees ’’ruthless’’ and ‘‘hypocritical’’.
‘‘To exploit the vulnerabilities of neighbours like PNG and Nauru is disgraceful enough, but to treat human beings with complete apathy is ruthless and insensible,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, lawyers are hopeful PNG may dramatically intervene by reopening the centre or striking a resettlement deal with New Zealand.
An injunction application is before PNG’s Supreme Court chief justice that would effectively force PNG to reopen the facility and provide food, water and electricity.
Earlier, New Zealand-born actor Russell Crowe lashed out at Australia’s handling of the escalating situation at the Manus Island detention centre, labelling it a ‘‘nation’s shame’’ and offering to house and support refugees himself.
As the standoff on Manus continues, a refugee living in Australia’s offshore detention centre on Nauru has been killed, the government has confirmed.
The man – a Bangladeshi, according to multiple sources – died from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident. Fairfax Media has been told he was knocked off the bike by a car driven by Nauruan locals.
The man is the ninth person to die in Australia’s offshore detention network since 2014. – Fairfax