Australian Immigration Minister's Reaction to Protests by Hundreds of Refugees on Manus Island

Peter Dutton, the Australian Minister for Immigration, expressed concern on Friday about the tense conditions in a refugee detention camp on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. According to a report by AFP, several refugees on the island have sewn their lips shut and gone on hunger strike in protest of their situation. This action by the refugees is in response to living conditions and the possibility of permanent residency in Papua New Guinea. The Australian government sends all refugees attempting to enter the country to detention centers on Manus or Nauru Islands in Papua New Guinea, and even if they are granted asylum, they are forced to remain permanently on these islands. Previously, the UN Committee Against Torture had informed the Australian government that the conditions for refugees sent by Australia to Manus and Nauru Islands are brutal, inhumane, and illegal. Nonetheless, according to AFP, Peter Dutton reacted to the hunger strike and protests by refugees in Papua New Guinea by stating that he believes there are very serious conditions in that area. He expressed concern about developments in the camp and stated that there is no doubt that the situation in that area is tense. The Australian Immigration Minister did not provide further details about the tense conditions on Manus Island. However, according to Ian Rintoul, a member of an organization advocating for imprisoned refugees in the area, 40 men have sewn their lips shut in protest of their conditions, three have swallowed razor blades, and four have ingested laundry powder. The report did not mention the health status of these individuals. AFP had previously reported that 400 people have also gone on hunger strike. A spokesperson for the Australian Department of Immigration stated that a small number of refugees have harmed themselves and others have gone on hunger strike. Meanwhile, Mr. Rintoul claimed that security guards attacked the refugees and beat them. No other source has confirmed or denied his statements. On the other hand, Peter Dutton, who was appointed as the Minister for Immigration in December of last year, urged refugees to resolve their concerns peacefully and announced that there would be no change in the policies of the former Minister for Immigration. Currently, over 1,000 refugees are held on Manus Island and about 900 on Nauru Island. Refugee advocacy organizations claim that conditions on these islands are not safe and that the Papua New Guinea government is taking no action in this regard. Among the asylum seekers applying for asylum in Australia, a significant number are Iranian, some of whom are not in good condition. About a year ago, following protests by refugees on Manus Island, an Iranian named Reza Barati was killed and about 70 others were injured.