Australia urged by UN to fix Manus refugee 'mess'

The UN has blasted Australia's treatment of about 800 refugees who are still in a precarious situation on Manus Island, telling it to fix the mess it created.

Supplied image obtained Saturday, November 18, 2017, of asylum seekers and refugees protesting at the Manus Island immigration detention centre

Supplied image obtained Saturday, November 18, 2017, of asylum seekers and refugees protesting at the Manus Island immigration detention centre Source: Refugee Action Coalition

About 800 refugees are still in a precarious situation on Manus Island, having been forcibly removed from a holding camp last month when Australia decided to close it, UNHCR spokeswoman Cecile Pouilly told a regular UN briefing in Geneva on Friday.

"We are talking here about people who have suffered tremendously, extreme trauma, and are now feeling so insecure in the places where they are staying. There are many victims of torture, people who have been deeply traumatised, having no idea what is going to happen next to them," she said.

"In light of the continued perilous situation on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island for refugees and asylum seekers abandoned by Australia, UNHCR has called again this week on the Australian government to live up to its responsibility and urgently find humane and appropriate solutions."

Conditions in the camp, and another on the tiny Pacific island of Nauru, have been widely criticised by the United Nations and human rights groups.

 


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By Saleem Al-Fahad

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