​Transferees to request stop on dismantling

Transferees in Manus will be making a formal request through an application in the Supreme Court to seek injunctive orders, in the hope to stop the dismantling at the Manus Lombrum centre.

Their lawyer, Ben Lomai, on Friday verbally asked the court to issue orders to stop the dismantling at the Lombrum centre, restore electricity, power, security and stop the possibility of their resettlement in PNG.

Lomai told the court there have been breaches to their human rights, and the court had the power to grant the injunctive orders they are seeking.

He said right now they are being overcrowded in two compounds after the dismantling of some of the compounds commenced early this month.

But the lawyer for the state, Robert Bradshaw, said there was no evidence put to court to show the alleged breach of human rights.

He said the state must be given an opportunity to be heard and the transferees must file a proper application to seek the orders.

Bradshaw also told the court that the case before court is seeking damages from being kept at Lombrum, prior to the Supreme Court finding their detainment as unconstitutional and these injunctive orders being sought to stop the gradual closure of the centre, should be filed and heard properly.

Justice Terrence Higgins issued directions for Lomai to get affidavits from his clients to support their application.

The case will return to court next month.

Author: 
Sally Pokiton