PORT MORESBY – The Papua New Guinea Government is finalising travel documents for the first 60 non-refugees to be deported from Manus to their countries of destination.
Acting chief Migration officer Solomon Kantha said at the weekend this was a step in closing the Manus regional processing centre tasked to the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority.
There are about 168 non-refugees still kept at the Manus regional processing centre who would have to be returned to their countries.
The largest group is from Iran. There are also people from Iraq, Nepal, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Vietnam, Bangladesh and India.
Mr Kantha who was in Manus last week to assess the situation said that a US settlement team will be arriving on Manus on February 14 to start screening the refugees for resettlement in the US under a deal signed between Australia and the former Barack Obama administration last year.
There are 600 refugees and about 168 non-refugees. Refugees are those that have been processed and issued PNG certificate of identity and non-refugees are those that have not been processed due to no proper documentations, some deemed high risk.
On April 26, 2016, the Supreme Court found that the regional processing centre breached the right to personal liberty, and was thus illegal under the Constitution.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill had announced that the processing centre would be closed as a result of the court decision.
Mr Kantha said in accordance with the National Refugee Policy, PNG continued to offer settlement in our country to those who have been found to be refugees.
“Those who are found not to be refugees have no lawful basis to remain in the country and must depart. They are encouraged to take up offers of Assisted Voluntary Return,” he said.
“Where non-refugees do not elect to depart voluntarily, PNG ICSA will remove them in accordance with our laws.
“PNG has worked hard with the Government of Australia to receive asylum-seekers intercepted at sea, and to process their claims in accordance with international law.
“This process was nearly complete, and PNG could look to resettle those who had been determined to be refugees either in PNG or in third countries willing to accept them such as the United States.
“Those who are found not to be refugees have no lawful basis to remain in the country, and must depart.
“They will not be resettled in PNG. Voluntary departure is encouraged and supported with an Assisted Voluntary Return programme administered by the International Organisation for Migration.”
