More than 700 asylum seekers detained on Manus Island have been offered a transfer to Nauru amid suicides in the camp and escalating violence in surrounding communities, refugee advocates say.
A note reportedly appeared in the processing centre on Tuesday night inviting refugees in the US resettlement process to volunteer for a transfer to Nauru.
The Nauru government will then decide which refugees it will transfer, the note says according to photos circulated on social media.
The offer comes a week after a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee took his own life on Manus, the sixth fatality in four years.
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An Iranian refugee died in August before he was due to move from detention into the Papua New Guinean community of Lorengau.
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre released a statement on Tuesday criticising the Australian government for having no plan as the deadline for closing Manus at the end of this month approaches.
The men on Manus were due to transfer to Lorengau after the closure but the ASRC says the community has been the site of violence for asylum seekers.
The Australian government has been contacted for comment.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.
