Manus Regional Processing Centre

Royal PNG Constabulary director media, Chief Superintendent Dominic D. Kakas, said: “Most refugees and asylum seekers are still at the centre at Manus Regional Processing Centre and do not want to move to their new locations, despite water and power being disconnected as well as no food supply to them.”

However, he said the Police on Manus have intercepted locals using boats to transport food to the refugees at the Centre.

“They were strongly warned no to do so again and released,” said Kakas.

The Grand Chief said it is with sadness that he watched two countries play football with the lives of refugees on Manus Island.

The founding father of the nation has come out in statement to say that acts of violence have been perpetrated with impunity and worse still, lives have been lost.

Grand Chief Somare said he had raised this issue of inhumane treatment while in parliament and was accused of being party to the Australia/PNG plan to set up the Manus Regional Processing Centre.

PNGDF Commander, Brigadier-General Gilbert Toropo says the Defence Force presence is to ensure safety and security.

“As a government agency, PNGDF has been very happy to support our government decision to host the centre. Now the decision has been made to close down the centre, and we have to comply as part of all Government approach.”

Extra troops have been sent to Lombrum to support the unit commander in Lombrum maintain security of the place since all services to the centre, including security, were shut down.

The department has released the following as facts.

"In April 2017, the PNG Government confirmed its commitment to close its Manus Regional Processing Centre (RPC),” says the Department.

"For the seven months until October 2017, the Department assisted the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority (ICSA) to gradually decommission the RPC by transitioning services to alternative locations.

This was the firm stance by Australia’s Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Peter Dutton, following yesterday’s closure of the Manus Regional Processing Centre.

“The Coalition Government has had a clear and consistent policy since coming to office.”

Dutton says the Illegal Maritime Arrivals (IMAs) who are refusing to leave the RPC have been aware since May this year that the PNG authorities would close the RPC on the 31^st of October.

“Indeed the Government of Papua New Guinea indicated from mid-2016 that it would move to close the RPC.”

PNG Immigrations has lined up buses outside the detention centre, patiently waiting for the refugees to transfer them to the new location in Lorengau.

But according to Manus provincial police commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, who is currently on site, the asylum seekers are still inside the camp and are refusing to hop on the buses, protesting over their security at the new sites in Lorengau.

Yapu confirmed that despite their refusal to move out, water, electricity and food supply to the camp has ceased since 5pm yesterday, which was the deadline.

It was filed yesterday afternoon (Oct 31) and is now awaiting listing before a judge to hear it.

As of 5pm yesterday, water and power supply was cut to the centre as it came to a close.

In this application, the refugees, led by Kurdish journalist Behrouz Boochani, are seeking orders to prevent their transfer to the East Lorengau Transit centre or other similar facilities, either in Manus or PNG, against their will.

Lorengau Town residents, led by non-government organisation, Manus Alliance against Human Rights Abuse, today marched with placards to the Manus Provincial Government headquarters, petitioning the Australian Government to free asylum seekers from detention on Manus and take them back to Australia.

Despite the provincial police commander, David Yapu, saying any protest march today regarding the shutdown would be deemed illegal, residents of Lorengau Town fronted at the Manus Provincial Government and handed their petition to Manus Governor Charlie Benjamin.

Lawyer for the transferees Ben Lomai said the state was served section 5 notice today (Monday).

“We have served Section 5 Notice on the State this afternoon. The applications will be filed tomorrow (Tuesday) morning,” he said.

Kurdish-Iran journalist Behrouz Boochani tweeted on social media that he was one of those in Lorengau who filed affidavits today supporting the Supreme Court application, which will be filed on Tuesday seeking injunctive orders.

“We hope our lawyers prevent the government (sic) taking refugees out by force & cutting water,” he tweeted.

The Minister for Immigration and Border Security, Petrus Thomas, says a number of issues need to be considered by Australia as the Manus Regional Processing Centre (MRPC) closes tomorrow (Oct 31).

“Whilst the governments of PNG and Australia have agreed to close the MRPC, there remains a number of important issues that need to be addressed in a revised Regional Resettlement Agreement (RRA) going forward in dealing with the residual cases that will continue to remain in Manus and other parts of PNG.”