Australian Government Accused of Human Rights Violations Regarding Refugees

A Senate inquiry committee in Australia on Thursday accused the government of failing to protect refugees located on Manus Island during the riots last February. During the riots at the refugee detention camp on Manus Island, which is part of Papua New Guinea, an Iranian refugee named Reza Barati was killed and over 70 others were injured. The Senate inquiry report, published on Thursday, December 20, and referenced by Reuters, stated that the rapid transfer of new refugees to the island, alongside the lack of a clear process for reviewing their asylum claims, made the likelihood of a riot 'clearly evident.' The 200-page report emphasized that personnel from the security company G4S, responsible for the camp's security, participated in the violence against refugees, and Scott Morrison, Australia's Minister for Immigration, was accused of 'deliberately misleading public opinion' regarding the February incident and its victims. The Australian Senate also attributed 'primary responsibility' for the violence at the Manus Island refugee camp to the Papua New Guinea police, but called on the Australian government to 'accept responsibility for human rights violations' and acknowledge it. Sarah Hanson, a senator from the Green Party, which is part of the opposition to the Australian government, described the Senate inquiry report as a 'decisive indictment' against the right-wing government's asylum policies. For some time, Australia has been sending refugees who arrive by sea, mainly by boat, to islands belonging to poorer countries like Papua New Guinea in the Pacific. Last week, a law was passed in the Australian Parliament stating that individuals seeking asylum in the country will receive a residence permit for three to five years after their applications are accepted, which may or may not be extended after the expiration of the term.