Manus Island detainees a ‘danger to staff’

IMMIGRATION Minister Peter Dutton has accused refugee ­advocates of encouraging ­aggressive detainee behaviour.

IMMIGRATION Minister Peter Dutton has accused refugee ­advocates of encouraging ­aggressive detainee behaviour and endangering staff at the Manus Island detention centre as a ­volatile protest there enters its second week.

Mr Dutton said the delivery of food, water and medical services was being prevented by the ­actions of disruptive detainees as reports emerged that up to 700 were engaged in a hunger strike.

Refugee groups responded ­angrily, saying Mr Dutton was creating a “phony crisis” and that security staff were the aggressors.

New claims emerged last night of an “attack” on Delta compound in which 30 people were arrested.

“I am aware of false and irresponsible claims being circulated by some advocates; these claims undermine the ongoing work of staff to engage with transferees at the centre,” Mr Dutton said.

“Uninformed, factually incorrect statements by some advocates aggravate the situation and do not assist with its peaceful resolution.”

Refugee Council of Australia chairwoman Sonia Caton warned that tensions could erupt in a ­repeat of the riot in which 23-year-old Iranian asylum-­seeker Reza Berati died.

Conditions were “reminiscent of a medieval siege”, said Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul. He said detainees were protesting against being resettled into the local Papua New Guinea community.

Mr Rintoul said about 30 detainees had sewn their lips together and there had been six suicide attempts, amid reports four asylum-seekers had been placed in solitary confinement.

Five detainees had drunk shampoo, and one of them was evacuated to Port Moresby.

“People would rather die in the trench than be pushed out into no-man’s land,” he said.

“There is no plan for the safe resettlement of people on PNG. The physical threat to people is very immediate.

“PNG has got nothing in place, including work, housing, education or family ­reunion ­arrangements.”

Ms Caton said detainees had endured “woefully inadequate living conditions” and 85 per cent had not had their claims assessed.

“The Australian government must act urgently to end offshore processing before another devastating death occurs,” she said.

However, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Sky News the detainees had a chance to “restart their lives” in PNG under a resettlement agreement struck by the Rudd government.

She warned that disruptive behaviour would not be rewarded with a visa for Australia.

Mr Dutton urged the media to use caution when reporting claims by asylum-seeker groups, saying misleading information could exacerbate conditions.

PNG Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato said in a statement that detainees were being “coerced and encouraged by activists in Australia”, and only a small number had ­instigated the protest.

Prominent refugee advocates such as Julian Burnside and Greg Barns have tweeted messages in recent days relating to Manus, warning of the risk of further deaths and the need to shut the facility.

However, Liberal MPs have suggested the protest on Manus is being exploited by some groups to test the new minister’s resolve and secure a more favourable resettlement outcome.

“It’s naive of the Left and the Greens to fall for this sort of tactic and it leads to more harm for those involved,” cautioned NSW MP Alex Hawke.

Bill Shorten urged the government to “come clean” on events at Manus, while Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young called for independent mediators to be sent to Manus immediately. She pleaded with detainees not to self-harm.