Refugee Action Coalition

Another 35 Nauru refugees set to depart

Almost all are single men and are Afghan, Pakistani or Rohingya.

In a statement, the Refugee Action Coalition says there is one Sri Lankan family (with four children) and one Bangladesh refugee.

“This will bring the total to 84 people who have flown from Nauru to the US since resettlement began last September,” says Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.

“At least one more flight of refugees to the US is expected by the end of February.

Refugees’ water tanks emptied

Officials entered Oscar and Delta compounds of the Manus detention and began emptying the tanks and turning over the water bins being used by refugees to collect rain water the last 10 days.

This has led to condemnation by the Refugee Action Coalition.

“Everyone in the tropics knows how precious water is and how quickly dehydration can become a serious medical issue. Denied water and with medical help sometimes delayed for hours, refugee lives are being put at risk,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition. 

Manus issue: Hundreds to rally in Sydney

Similar rallies are being held in Brisbane and Melbourne as thousands of people stand in solidarity with the refugees.  

According to the Refugee Action Coalition, authorities began removing the perimeter fencing of the detention centre late yesterday afternoon (Thursday 9 Nov), leaving the refugees even more vulnerable.

“Overnight a new notice was distributed in Port Moresby, where over 120 Manus refugees and asylum seekers being held, has made it obvious there are no plans for providing permanent resettlement,” says spokesman Ian Rintoul.  

Court’s decision does not alter inhumanity: Activist

The PNG Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to issue an injunction to restore immediately food, water and power to the Manus detention centre.

The Chief Justice found that while the applicant's (Behrouz Boochani) human rights may have been breached, damages rather than an injunction is the suitable remedy.

Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, says: "It does not alter the fact that Manus is unsafe, and settlement in PNG is impossible.

Death of Iranian refugee criminal says Refugee Action Coalition

The man, Omid, was flown to Australia on Thursday, 24 hours hours after he set himself alight in apparent protest in front of visiting United Nations officials.

But he died in a Brisbane hospital Friday afternoon.

The Refugee Action Coalition's Ian Rintoul said the lack of experienced staff; the lack of medical supplies; the lack of attention; the shocking conditions at the Nauru hospital and the delay in arranging for the man to be medivacced from Nauru has cost him his life.

He said those responsible must be held to account.

Australian Govt accused of refugee double standard

The Australian Government has announced that it will take in an extra 12,000 refugees affected by the conflict in Syria and Iraq.

But the Coalition's Ian Rintoul says there are some Iraqi and Syrian asylum seekers that have been held for more than two years at the Australian run camps on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island, and Nauru.

He says they fled their countries for exactly the same reasons as those who are caught up in Europe's migrant crisis.