Urgent action needed on Manus: UNHCR

The United Nations' refugee agency says the situation on Manus Island is at risk of deteriorating if Australia doesn't take action to protect asylum seekers.

Asylum seekers on Manus Island are at grave risk of further harm if Australia doesn't take immediate action to protect them, the United Nations' refugee agency says.

The UNHCR said it was "deeply disturbed" by the forcible removal of refugees and asylum seekers from the now-closed detention facility on Friday.

The last of the 300-odd men who refused to leave the centre have now been moved to alternative accommodation, ending a tense three-week stand-off.

A number of them were seen in video footage being beaten with metal poles and threatened by PNG police officers, which the UNHCR labelled "shocking and inexcusable".

Staff on the ground had received reports several men remained inside the centre with serious injuries, but the UNHCR was seeking more information from the Australian and PNG governments.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said on Friday he believed only three had suffered minor injuries - one from an insect bite, another who tripped and grazed himself while running from the centre, and a third from dehydration.

He said allegations of violence and serious injuries "did not add up to the facts on the ground" and accused advocates of exaggerating claims.

The UNHCR believes medical care remains inadequate at the new camps, while access to caseworkers, interpreters and counselling services are not available.

"The situation still unfolding on Manus Island presents a grave risk of further deterioration and of further damage to extremely vulnerable human beings," UNHCR's representative in Canberra, Thomas Albrecht, said in a statement.

"UNHCR renews its call for all Australian parliamentarians and leaders to take immediate action to provide protection and safety for all refugees and asylum-seekers transferred to Papua New Guinea."

The UNHCR also noted its concern that Australia was offering refugees enticements to voluntarily return to their home countries, including places where human rights conditions have significantly deteriorated this past year.

"Severely inadequate services and conditions may now further coerce refugees with a well-founded fear of persecution to nevertheless return to their countries of origin," it said.

"UNHCR urges the government of Australia to take immediate action to provide protection and solutions and to avert further harm and tragedy."


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Source: AAP


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