A refugee advocacy group claims a squad stormed one of the compounds at the Manus Island detention centre which had been barricaded by detainees, some of them on a hunger strike.
Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition said that at around 4.30pm, Manus time, the Delta compound at the Manus Island detention centre was allegedly attacked by what seemed to be a combined group of Australian guards and the Transfield riot squad. He said it's not yet clear if PNG police were involved or if it was security staff.
The Australian government told SBS the situation is fluid and the Papua New Guinea Government has operational responsibility of the centre, and declined to make any further comment.
A Papua New Guinea government spokesman told the ABC that chief migration officer Mataio Rabura entered the block to negotiate an end to the blockade.
The spokesman said security guards were involved but there was no confrontation and while police were there, they stayed back.
The Papua New Guinea government confirmed earlier today that some asylum seekers at the processing centre were on hunger strike and some have taken to swallowing razor filaments and washing powder.
The detainees were protesting the scheduled transfer of 50 male detainees on January 22 to the Manus Island capital Lorengau, where they say housing is temporary and unsafe.
Mr Rintoul says drinking water for detainees in one compound, Delta, was taken away on Sunday and has not been returned.
"Depriving the asylum seekers of water is simply barbaric," he said today.
But the Australian government denied water has been cut off and said protesters had become aggressive and were actively preventing staff from providing food, water and medical care.
Mr Rintoul, who is in Australia but says he is in direct contact with a large number of asylum seekers at Manus Island, also said 33 detainees have not been returned to their compound after receiving
medical attention.
He said Manus Island staff were "trying to break down the solidarity" of detainees."
The claims are at odds with the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton's description of the situation.
He said some protesters had engaged in aggressive behaviour.
"The actions of some transferees are actively preventing the delivery of food, water and medical services to others who are not participating in the protest," Mr Dutton said in a statement on Monday.
"Water has not been 'cut off'."
Mr Dutton said the "disturbing actions" of protesters over the weekend put centre staff as well as other detainees in danger.
"Transferee threats to staff will not be tolerated - nor will action to coerce other transferees into protesting."
Mr Dutton also labelled the refugee advocate's claims "false and irresponsible", saying they undermine the work of Manus Island staff who are trying to engage with detainees.
Mr Rintoul says there's no evidence protesters have been aggressive.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten has called for transparency at the processing centre.
"The government just needs to come clean with what is happening," he said.
Under the government policy, asylum seekers who arrive in Australia without a visa will be resettled in PNG if they are considered genuine refugees.
Asylum seekers however believe PNG is unsafe and want resettlement in Australia, according to advocates.
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