Refugees want out of PNG

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Papua New Guinea immigration officials have been given until Monday next week to respond to five refugee statements filed in the Supreme Court.

The statements reflect the wishes of more other refugees on Manus Island and have outlined their intentions not to accept resettlement in Papua New Guinea.

The centre operators and PNG’s immigration authorities have moved refugees out of detention and into a transit centre near the main town of Lorengau.

The claims, filed by lawyer Ben Lomai, are being dealt with as a test case and EMTV reports that if successful, they will be applied to all the other refugees also not wanting to settle in PNG.

Almost 90 per cent of the asylum seekers Australia sent to the Manus Island processing centre in PNG have been found to be genuine refugees.

The PNG Supreme Court ruled three months ago that the detention of asylum seekers and refugees at the camp run by Australia was unconstitutional and therefore unlawful.

The court also insisted that asylum seekers now be called ‘residents’. Lomai told EMTV that the refugees – now officially considered ‘residents’– are still detained and he’s concerned about their future.

He says they have been deprived of their rights and liberty.

He has filed two applications with the Supreme Court for them to be returned to Australia, but these applications are on hold, pending the processing of the asylum seekers to determine whether they are legitimate refugees.

A court case involving five refugees at the Australian-run detention centre on Manus Island has been adjourned until next week.

The court is not deciding on the legality of refugees’ determinations but is expected to issue guidelines for the release and resettlement of the detainees.

The case has been adjourned until this coming Monday to allow time for government lawyers to examine the refugees’ statements that were submitted in court.

All five refugees are hoping to resettle in Australia.

Lomai said if that was not allowed, the governments of Australia and PNG would still owe them compensation. - PNC