Australia studying critical UNHCR report

(Vatican Radio) Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says his government is working through a report from the United Nations, which criticises the Australian-run asylum-seeker processing centre in Papua New Guinea. Issued on Friday of last week by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, the report was critical of the temporary centre on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island, saying it fails to meet international protection standards. Listen to our report:

UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards described conditions at the centre:

“Living conditions are still harsh, processing remains slow and asylum-seekers are growing despondent over the lack of certainty about their future. The team observed cramped living quarters, especially for the single men who live in canvas tents. They told UNHCR that each tent accommodated four to six men, it was especially hot from late afternoon into the night. Many also expressed concern about hygiene issues related to ablutions and bathroom facilities, food preparation, and poor access to medical services."

Speaking in Port Moresby on Monday together with his counterpart from Papua New Guinea, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd thanked UNHCR for their work in the report, and said his government is studying the report’s recommendations, promising to work together with Papua New Guinea to address the issue.

The Catholic Church in Australia has been critical of the Manus Island facility, and of government attempts generally to reduce the influx of migrants attempting to reach Australian shores without going through official immigration channels.

Below, please find the full text of a statement from the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference Migrant and Refugee Office, AMCRO, on the bishops' preferred policy of hosting asylum-seekers in community.

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Support for hosting asylum seekers in the community

Media Release
28 February 2013

The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office fully support the current policy of hosting asylum seekers in the community on bridging visas and in community residence determination. We have great respect for the decision to increase Australia’s humanitarian intake to 20,000 each year and also believe it is appropriate for Australia to defend the right of all people to seek asylum.
“Asylum seekers are not criminals and should not be treated as such. The suggestion that serious crimes committed by one asylum seekers gives grounds for treating all asylum seekers as criminals is greatly concerning” said Fr Maurizio Pettenà, Director of ACMRO.

“The hosting of asylum seekers in the community is an entirely appropriate, effective and humane way for Australia to respond. We have thousands of Australians who have volunteered their time to help asylum seekers and in the process have developed wonderful friendships” said Fr Pettenà.
Helping asylum seekers to rebuild their lives and become fully contributing members of the local community is both a joy and wonderful gift for Catholics to be a part of, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Mt 25:40

"The fact remains that current policies on boarder control are already too tough," said Fr Pettenà.

"The continued use of mandatory and indefinite immigration detention have witnessed several suicides in immigration detention and countless self-harm incidents, many involving children in just the last three years alone. On top of this children and families continue to be detained in remote regional areas and more recently on Nauru and Manus Island under appalling conditions” he said.
“After hearing stories of asylum seekers and the terrible misery and violence they escape from, it is heart breaking to witness the hostile way asylum seekers are treated once they arrive in Australia” he said.

“Calls for further toughening of asylum policy are incredibly disappointing because they reflect a policy of fear rather than one of welcoming and are been pursued at the expense of human dignity and the moral obligation to afford protection for the most vulnerable” said Fr Pettenà.