Manus Regional Processing Centre

Department of Immigration photograph of the Manus Regional Processing Centre in 2012

The Manus Regional Processing Centre[1] is one of many offshore Australian immigration detention facilities, located on Los Negros Island in Manus Province, Papua New Guinea, operated by Broadspectrum (formerly known as Transfield Services) on behalf of the Australian government. The centre is located on the PNG Navy Base Lombrum (previously a Royal Australian Navy base called HMAS Tarangau).

History

The Pacific Solution

The centre was originally established on 21 October 2001, as one of two Offshore Processing Centres (OPC). The other OPC was the Nauru detention centre. The OPC facilities were part of what became known as the "Pacific Solution", a policy of the Howard Government in Australia, which was implemented in the wake of the Tampa affair. The policy involved the excision of Australian external territories (Christmas Island, Ashmore and Cartier Islands and Cocos (Keeling) Island) and other islands in the Pacific Ocean—from the Australian migration zone. Unlawful maritime arrivals (boat people without documentation seeking asylum in Australia) who arrived at these excised territories were transferred to the OPC facilities where they would stay while their claims for asylum were processed. The centres were managed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).[2]

Disuse

The Manus Regional Processing Centre fell into disuse in preference to the Nauru centre. In July 2003, the immigration department announced that the centre would be wound down and the remaining detainees would be granted asylum and resettled in Australia, however the centre would continue to be maintained in case the need for reactivation arose.

Aladdin Sisalem, a Kuwaiti-born Palestinian, fled Kuwait in 2000 and in December 2002 arrived at an island in the Torres Strait where he claimed asylum, and was sent to the Manus centre. For ten months, Sisalem was the sole detainee at the centre, with a small staff of guards and cleaners for company. In May 2004, he was resettled in Melbourne.[2]

2008 closure

With the election of the Rudd Labor Government in 2007, the Manus Regional Processing Centre was formally closed in early 2008, fulfilling an election promise by Rudd to end the offshore processing system.

Regional Resettlement Arrangement

Main article: PNG solution

In 2012, a significant rise in the number of irregular maritime arrivals saw the "asylum issue" become a political liability for the government. The Gillard Government commissioned Angus Houston, former Chief of the Defence Force, to lead an expert panel to conduct a review of asylum arrangements. Among the 22 recommendations made in the Houston report was one to re-open the OPC facilities on Nauru and at the Manus Regional Processing Centre.

2012 re-opening

In November 2012, the Manus Regional Processing Centre was re-opened, due to the large volume of irregular maritime arrivals. The British services company G4S was responsible for its operation.[3] In March 2014, the contract with G4S expired, and the Australian government entered into a 20-month contract worth AUD $1.22 billion with Broadspectrum (which operates the facility in Nauru) for facilities management including building maintenance and catering,[4] with security provided by Wilson Security.[5]

Declared illegal

On 26 April 2016, the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea found that the Centre breached the PNG constitution's right to personal liberty, and was thus illegal.[6] It said:

“ Both the Australian and Papua New Guinea governments shall forthwith take all steps necessary to cease and prevent the continued unconstitutional and illegal detention of the asylum seekers or transferees at the relocation centre on Manus Island ..."[7][6] ”

Late on 27 April 2016, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill announced that the processing centre would be closed. He issued a statement that in part said his government "will immediately ask the Australian Government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum seekers" and that "we did not anticipate the asylum seekers to be kept as long as they have been at the Manus Centre". He said that Papua New Guinea was proud to play an important role in stopping the loss of life due to people smuggling. O'Neill said negotiations with Australia would focus on the timeframe for the closure and for the settlement of legitimate refugees interested in staying in Papua New Guinea.[8]

2014 riots

On 17 February 2014, a series of protests by detainees at the centre escalated into a serious disturbance, and subsequent events resulted in the death of one detainee: Reza Berati, a 23-year-old Iranian asylum seeker.[9]

Cornall Review

Robert Cornall was appointed in February 2014 to conduct 'a review into the circumstances surrounding the Manus centre disturbances' leading up to Berati's death[10] with the primary focus on management of security at the centre.[11][12][13][14] Cornall presented his review to the Immigration Department on 23 May 2014.[13]

Cornall previously conducted an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse at the Manus Regional Processing Centre.[15] He presented this report to the Department in late September 2013.[13][16]

Numbers

Chart of the centre's population at the end of each month since the commencement of Operation Sovereign Borders.

As of 31 May 2016, there were 847 asylum seekers held in the processing centre.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Manus Regional Processing Centre". Australian Border Force. Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 Jackson, Andra (1 June 2004). "Aladdin Sisalem released from Manus Island". The Age. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  3. ↑ Cullen, Simon (21 November 2012). "First asylum seekers arrive on Manus Island". ABC News. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  4. ↑ Smyth, Jamie (24 February 2014). "G4S to hand over Australia asylum centre contract to Transfield". Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  5. ↑ Farrell, Paul (24 February 2014). "Manus Island and Nauru centres to be run by Transfield in $1.2bn deal". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  6. 1 2 Tlozek, Eric; Anderson, Stephanie (political reporter) (26 April 2016). "PNG finds detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island illegal". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  7. ↑ Namah v Pato [2016] PGSC 13; SC1497 (26 April 2016)
  8. ↑ Anderson, Stephanie (27 April 2016). "Manus Island detention centre to be shut, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  9. ↑ "Manus Island riot: interactive timeline". The Guardian. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  10. ↑ Farrell, Paul (21 February 2014). "Manus Island inquiry will be led by Robert Cornall, says Scott Morrison". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014.
  11. ↑ "Terms of Reference Review into the events of 16-18 February 2014 at the Manus Regional Processing Centre". Canberra: Department of Immigration and Border Protection. 27 February 2014. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014.
  12. ↑ Farrell, Paul (27 February 2014). "Consultant investigating Manus Island unrest insists he is independent". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 "Independent Reviews into Incidents at Offshore Regional Processing Centres". Department of Immigration and Border Protection. 23 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  14. ↑ Cornall, Robert (23 May 2014). "Review into the events of 16-18 February 2014 at the Manus Regional Processing Centre" (PDF-6 MB). Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  15. ↑ Farrell, Paul; Laughland, Oliver (1 November 2013). "Sex assaults at Manus Island centre appear likely to go unpunished". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 November 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  16. ↑ Cornall, Robert (30 September 2013). "Review into allegations of sexual and other serious assaults at the Manus Offshore Processing Centre [July 2013]" (PDF-130 KB). Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  17. ↑ "Operation Sovereign Borders monthly update: May 2016". Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2016.

Coordinates: 2°2′16″S 147°22′9″E / 2.03778°S 147.36917°E / -2.03778; 147.36917

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