Extra police, some believed to have been brought from Rabaul, have been patrolling the perimeters of the detention compounds on Manus Island ahead of today’s deadline for transfers between compounds to separate those found to be refuges from those who have so far received negative determinations.
Immigration and Broadspectrum have stated that they intend to house refugees on Oscar and Delta compound while those who have negative determinations will be housed in Mike and Foxtrot.
At meetings with detainees last week, PNG Immigration said that people who refused to be transferred could be forcibly moved.
Yesterday (Tuesday, 5 April), those with negative determinations in Delta were given notices saying they were to be at the gate of the compound at 8.00am. It is not known, how many, if any, were at the gate this morning.
In Mike Compound, those found to be refugees were given notices to be at the Mike gate at 1.00pm.
It is believed that Delta negative guys are to be moved to Foxtrot and while Oscar negative detainees will be moved to Mike.
While there have been some voluntary transfers of negatives in the last few days, it is understood that many will resist the transfers.
The prospect of forced transfers has raised fears of a repeat of the brutality unleashed on detainees in 2015, when a mass hunger strike by detainees stopped the transfer of refugees to housing outside the detention centre.
“The police patrols are clearly designed to intimidate the asylum seekers and refugees to accept the division of the camp,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition. “Immigration want to divide the camp so they can put even more pressure on refugees to move out of the camp. Refugees are already denied points that they can use at the canteen. Being separated will leave both positive and negative groups even more vulnerable.”
One Iranian man who self-harmed in Mike Compound was taken to the medical clinic last night (Tuesday, 5 April).
The move to separate the camp comes as the PNG and Australian governments face a Supreme Court constitutional challenge to the Manus Island detention centre. The challenge is scheduled to be considered in the full Supreme Court sittings in late April.
For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713
