MEDIA RELEASE
NO ADVANTAGE SCRAPPED – REFUGEE PROCESSING TO START ON NAURU
The Nauru Director of the Department of Immigration has told a meeting
of asylum seekers in the Nauru detention camp that their refugee
assessments will begin “in about ten days.”
The initial refugee assessments are expected to be finalised in around
six months.
Despite telling the meeting that he is speaking on behalf of the
Nauruan government, the details of the processing reveals that the
processing is totally controlled by the Australian government.
A Nauruan government officer will only be involved at the very final
step to accept or reject recommendations made by the assessors flown
from Australia.
In an answer to a question from one asylum seeker, trying to explain
why processing is happening on Nauru, he says, “The Australian
government decided it will happen this way.”
The asylum seekers were also told, “If you are found to be a refugee
there is no guarantee that you will be resettled in Australia. You my
be resettled in another country that accepts refugees.” The director
then lists a number of countries, such as the United States, Canada,
UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland, but is unable to say how long that
resettling could take.
The DIAC announcement comes after x days of asylum seekers stitching
their lips and hunger strike protest, and numerous self-harm and
attempted suicide incidents. Six asylum seekers have also been flown
to the Australian mainland in the last two weeks, most with
“The Director’s announcement has blown the so-called ‘no advantage’
principles of the Australian government out of the water. Asylum
seekers on Nauru are being processed while those on Manus Island and
those in Australia remain in limbo. The government must start refugee
assessments for the thousands of asylum seekers living in the
community,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action
Coalition.
“The announcement is unlikely to put an end to the protests in the
Nauru camp. The government has said nothing about how long people will
be left on Nauru even if they are found to be refugees. Nobody can
explain to them why they have been victimised by being sent to Nauru.
Now that refugee processing is about to begin, there is even less
justification for their mistreatment.
“Just as under the Howard government, while a few might go to New
Zealand, but the majority of the refugees on Nauru and Manus Island
will be resettled in Australia. The government should end the fiction
and the victimisation and bring all the asylum seekers to Australia,”
said Rintoul.
For more information contact Ian Rintoul, mob 0417 275 713