Nauru refugees to be sent to Cambodia

Refugees rejected by Australia will soon fly from the Pacific atoll of Nauru to be resettled in Cambodia, the Australian government said yesterday.

A charter flight could fly the first refugees to be resettled in Phnom Penh as early as Monday, according to a copy of a fact sheet that the Refugee Action Collective advocacy group said has been circulated at Nauru.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s office did not specify when the first group will fly under a bilateral agreement signed by Cambodia and Australia last September. “The first group of volunteers is anticipated to depart for Cambodia in the near future,” his office said in a statement. The agreement specifies that all refugees who leave the Australia-run detention camp on Nauru must be volunteers.

The fact sheet, distributed by Australian officials, tells refugees that “Cambodia is a safe country where police maintain law and order.”

“It does not have problems with violent crime or stray dogs,” it said.

However, the US State Department Bureau of Diplomatic Security reported this month that Cambodia’s crime rating was “critical.”

“Endemic corruption” within the Cambodian police and judiciary compounded safety and security problems, leading to “civilian vigilantestyle justice,” the report for 2014 said.

It said random gunfire incidents, as well as gunfire exchanges due to traffic accidents, occurred frequently.

The deal will cost the Australian government more than 10 million Australian dollars (Dh28 million) a year and has been condemned by human rights groups.