Pacific Islands Forum: Australia must tackle refugee crisis in Nauru as regional summit closes – Amnesty International

The Australian government must urgently evacuate the 107 refugee children and their families trapped in appalling conditions in Nauru, or else accept New Zealand’s offer to provide safe haven, said Amnesty International, as the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) comes to a close in Nauru today.

The four-day meeting, which brought together leaders from across the region, comprehensively failed to address the needs of refugees,  with the approved draft Forum Communiqué featuring no mention of an improved, human rights-oriented approach to refugee policy.

“The dire situation for refugees and asylum-seekers in Nauru requires urgent action and the Australian government can still uphold its responsibility by evacuating them to Australia,” said Roshika Deo, Amnesty International’s Pacific Researcher.

“However, if Australia refuses to change course, it must not stand in the way of others who are willing to offer these people the protection they so desperately need. New Zealand’s Prime Minister this week reaffirmed a longstanding offer to take in 150 refugees per year from Manus Island and Nauru – Australia must facilitate, and not obstruct this process.”

Amnesty International is also dismayed that Pacific Leaders failed to address Australia’s cruel and abusive refugee policy at the forum meeting. An open letter co-signed by Amnesty International and more than 90 other civil society organisations last week called on PIF leaders to prioritise the escalating health crisis for refugee children on Nauru and demanded an end to the shameful policy.

“The Pacific Islands Forum was an opportunity for leaders in the region to say enough is enough and show that they would no longer stand by while the Australian Government’s abusive policies continue to risk more lives,” said Roshika Deo.

“This chance has been completely squandered. Instead we saw the Government of Nauru release despicable claims about the nature of the reported self-harm by children and the detention of a New Zealand journalist for speaking with a refugee.”

On Saturday Nauru’s President, Baron Waqa, claimed during a TV interview that children were being pushed into self-harming by their families and refugee advocates, saying: “It’s the way of working the system, probably short-circuiting it, just to get to Australia.” This was followed by the detention of TV New Zealand journalist Barbara Dreaver by Nauruan police on Tuesday after she interviewed a refugee.