Hillside Haus declared permanent detention site

The Minister for Immigration and Border Security has revoked the declaration of the Manus Regional Processing Centre as the permanent immigration detention site.

Minister Petrus Thomas says: “By virtue of the powers conferred by Section 15(1)(b) and (2) of the Migration Act (Chapter 16), and all other powers enabling me, I declare Hillside Haus to be permanent places of detention.”

His declaration comes into effect on and from November 1, 2017.

Meanwhile, a total of 378 refugees still remain at the Manus Regional Processing Centre and refuse to move to the new camps.

The Royal PNG Constabulary reports: “Buses were provided all day to take the remaining 378 refugees to their new centres but they refused.

“The Inter Agency Senior Management Team, which consists of the Immigration & Citizenship Services Authority, Police, the PNG Defence Force, the Department of Health, the Manus Provincial Administration and the Prime Minister's Department, will be meeting today to discuss how to get the 378 refugees from the Centre to their new camps.

“There are currently a total of 204 refugees at the East Lorengau Refugee Transit Centre, 28 non-refugees at the Hillside Haus in Ward 1 and 17 refugees at West Lorengau, Ward 1.”

 

Author: 
Press release