Chilout members have been banned from visiting Manus Island.
On 26th March Camapaign Manager Leila and staff from Get Up! were due to board a plane to PNG, headed to the Regional Processing Centre on Manus Island. After months of phone calls, emails and planning we regretably report that the trip is not possible. There is a ‘temporary ban on all international organisations visiting the centre’.
Now, we learn we’re not the only ones barred from visiting, even Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner has been prevented from hearing firsthand the complaints sent to her by asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru.
The Department of Immigration has confirmed that reported 1March figures of 998 children in detention are correct but has not yet released updated full statistics. 34 children are on Manus Island, 281 on Christmas Island and the remainder in mainland facilities. A further 985 children are in community detention.
Australia is the only Refugee Convention signatory nation to have a policy of indefinite detention, no matter what their age.
Chilout is a not-for-profit community group who seek to increase public awareness by providing accurate information showing what is happening to children inside our immigration detention centres (IDCs). We hold to account those responsible for the gap between what policy promises and delivers.
CHILOUT IS:
- Opposed to the indefinite, mandatory detention of children.
- Opposed to the use of remote locations of detention for families and children for any length of time.
- In favour of an independent guardian for unaccompanied children seeking asylum in Australia. The Minister with the power to detain children cannot also be the person appointed to act in their best interest.
- Going to continue to operate until there is federal legislation to ensure no child is detained in an Australian immigration detention centre (or any such renamed facility) for more than 14 days.