Two men seriously injured in Manus Island machete attacks, refugees say

TWO men have been left with deep wounds after armed robberies on refugees on Manus Island, witnesses claim. Warning: Graphic content

A March 21, 2014 file image of asylum seekers at the Oscar compound in the Manus Island detention centre, Papua New Guinea. The centre will be closed at the end of October. Picture: AAP

Warning: Graphic content

THREE refugees on Manus Island have been attacked — two with machetes — and robbed as the forced relocation of asylum seekers from the detention centre continues, it’s claimed.

Witnesses allege the men suffered serious injuries in separate armed robberies at the weekend after being released into the local community as the Manus Island Detention Centre continues its close-down.

The October deadline for the full closure of the facility has been marred by opposition and violence as refugees are forcibly relocated.

“Three refugees were attacked by local people in Lorengau town since,” said Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani, who has spent more than three years locked up on Manus.

“First, an Iranian refugee was attacked by some local men by a knife and his wrist was injured seriously and then he was robbed.

“Second, a Sudanese refugee was attacked in a similar way and his leg was cut with a machete.

“While people were in shock of these incidents, an Afghan refugee was attacked by a local man and his phone and money were robbed.

“The refugees who were attacked were in Lorengau hospital.

Mr Boochani released graphic pictures of the alleged machete injuries, showing deep, bloody cuts to the arm and leg respectively of the men.

An alleged machete attack on Manus Island.

Two men suffered serious wounds.

He claims local police can’t protect the refugees, and clashes will escalate as the shutdown of the centre continues.

Detainees have been threatened with legal action if they refuse to leave areas of the centre slated for demolition, but are reluctant to, claiming neighbouring compounds are overcrowded, and a nearby transit centre is too dangerous, and too small.

Mr Boochani said the alleged machete attacks were the latest in “a chain of attacks”.

He said “unfortunately the local police cannot protect the refugees”.

“This kind of incident commonly happens in Lorengau town for refugees,” he said.

The Manus Island detention centre will close by the end of October, with decommissioning works well under way and the nearby transit centre being rapidly expanded.

Refugees accepted under a one-off resettlement deal with the United States are expected to begin leaving Manus Island in October.

The federal government has for years declared those held in the island camps will never settle in Australia.

That’s disputed by the head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, who claims Australia last November told the UN some ‘vulnerable’ refugees would be settled in Australians part of the US deal.