Tuesday, August 01, 2017

Meanwhile on Manus Island...

Meanwhile on Manus Island, Australia is trying to force refugees out of its concentration camp and into the community by cutting off power and water supplies. Strangely, the refugees don't want to go. Why not? Because if they leave, this will happen:
A Sudanese man and another from Iran were brutally attacked with machetes in two separate incidents over the weekend before an Afghan refugee was mugged on Sunday morning.

The Refugee Action Coalition said that at about 10pm on Saturday night, up to eight local men entered a house in Lorengau town and attacked the Sudanese refugee, slashing his leg with a bush knife.

The coaltion says in the second attack, about six hours later on Sunday morning, the same people responsible for the first assault, robbed an Iranian refugee before hacking his wrist open, cutting veins and tendons.

It said later that morning, while refugees were assisting the two men at Lorengau hospital, the Afghan refugee was robbed of his phone and belongings by another group of locals.


Papua New Guinea is simply not safe for refugees. By trying to force them into an unsafe situation, the Australian government is contributing to their continuing persecution. As for the solution, if Australia refuses to accept responsibility and allow the refugees into Australia, the New Zealand government should step in and offer them a home here.