Australia: End the Abuse of Refugees on Nauru
- by: Amnesty International Canada
- recipient: Australian Minister of Immigration and Border Protection
The Australian Government is forcing more than one thousand women, men and children searching for safety in Australia to live in appalling conditions in Immigration Processing Centres on Nauru and Manus Island.
Refugees seeking to enter Australia by boat are denied entry and forced to remain in the remote island nation of Nauru, or Manus Island in Papua New Guinea while their asylum applications are processed. Those recognized as refugees are denied the opportunity to settle in Australia. People in Nauru remain in what has been described as an open-air prison. The conditions are among some of the worst which have been investigated by Amnesty International.
Self-harm and suicide are not uncommon – with children even as young as nine openly speaking about ending their lives. Women report sexual harassment and assault. People with life threatening health conditions are at times denied adequate medical treatment. Doctors and humanitarian workers could face prison in Australia for speaking out about anything they see while working on the islands. Facebook is banned and journalists and human rights monitors are repeatedly denied access.
The Australian Government is deliberately driving adults and even children to the breaking point in order to deter other people from arriving by boat. These refugees have escaped nightmares in conflict ridden countries only to meet with more suffering in the Australian Government-run detention centres.
Refugees are simply searching for safety and a welcome place to rebuild their lives. Their suffering must stop now.
Minister Peter Dutton:
Over one thousand men, women and children searching for safety in Australia live in appalling conditions on the small island nation of Nauru and on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Many suffer from serious mental health problems which are inadequately treated and exacerbated by the appalling conditions in which they’re forced to live. Anxiety, self-harm and suicide attempts are frequent, with children as young as nine speaking openly about wanting to end their lives.
These people, from countries such as Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Afghanistan, have fled wars, lost family members and friends and have been tortured by repressive regimes. They are searching for safety and welcome and instead face neglect and suffering.
Australian politicians have been adamant that
they will never allow the refugees sent to Nauru and Manus Island to settle in Australia.
The secret and systematic abuse set up by the Australian Government in Nauru and Papua New Guinea must end immediately.
I urge you to end the abuse of people seeking safety and freedom and call on you to act immediately to:
- Close the Regional Processing Centres on Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
- Bring all asylum seekers and refugees on Nauru and Manus Island to Australia.
- Assess, in a fair and timely manner, all applications for international protection which have not been finalized by the authorities in Nauru and Papua New Guinea;
- Ensure that all those who are were granted refugee status on Nauru and Manus have the right to settle in Australia.
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