Australia predicts conflict between asylum seekers, police

CANBERRA, Australia — An Australian minister on Friday predicted a conflict between Papua New Guinea police and hundreds of asylum seekers who have refused to leave a decommissioned immigration camp where many hold out hope of resettling in the United States.

The camp inside a Manus Island navy base was declared closed on Oct. 31 based on the Papua New Guinea Supreme Court’s ruling last year that Australia’s policy of housing asylum seekers there was unconstitutional. But the men who have stayed at the maleonly camp fear for their safety in the alternative shelters available in the nearby town of Lorengau because of threats from local residents

Australian Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton said he was discussing with the Papua New Guinea authorities what steps would be taken if the asylum seekers stay on without power or running water.

“Our very strong preference is that people move of their own accord,” Dutton told Melbourne Radio 3AW.

“We’ve got a group of core agitators, organizers, who will try and provide some sort of scene where there is a confrontation with police. They’ll do that because they want that footage broadcast back here,” Dutton added.

The Australian activist group Getup! released video on Friday of the squalid conditions on Manus. Dutton accused the asylum seekers of “trashing the place.”

Local authorities posted a notice at the camp on Thursday, saying: “You are ... instructed to vacate this compound immediately.”

“If necessary, force may be used to relocate those who refuse to move voluntarily for your own sake,” the notice added.

Iranian refugee Behrouz Boochani said the use of force was unacceptable.