Three attacks in twelve hours on refugees on Manus Island shows how unsafe the Manus community is for refugees and exactly why refugees are refusing to move from the detention centre to East Lorengau.
Two refugees, one Sudanese and one Iranian, have been brutally attacked in two separate incidents on Manus Island overnight (see photo).
In a third incident, an Afghan refugee was attacked and robbed this morning (Sunday, 30 July) near the hospital.
Despite urgent calls from refugees and the Lorengau hospital, IHMS refused to attend the hospital. After waiting hours and with hospital staff unable to stop the bleeding, at around 10.00am, this morning (Sunday), refugees arranged transport to take both of the injured men to IHMS at the detention centre.
At around 10pm on Saturday night, up to eight local men entered a house in the Lorengau settlement and attacked the Sudanese refugee, slashing his leg with a bush knife.
In the second attack, (around 4.00am Sunday) the same people responsible for the first attack, it seems, attacked an Iranian refugee and after robbing him, quite deliberately hacked his wrist open, cutting veins and tendons.
“They turned him over and cut open his veins,” one refugee told the Refugee Action Coalition, “It was like revenge; like they wanted him dead.”
Then, this (Sunday) morning, while refugees were assisting the Sudanese and Iranian at the hospital, an Afghan refugee was robbed of his phone and belongings, in broad daylight, by another group of locals.
The brutality of the attacks have increased the refugees’ fears for their safety and their lives. Refugees are also fearful that the news that they have received a payout from the Australian government has made them increased targets.
“The callous push to close compounds in the detention centre and drive refugees out has to stop,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
“The moves to meet the arbitrary October deadline for closure is literally putting refugees’ lives at risk. Not only are refugees vulnerable to attack, there is no adequate medical treatment and insufficient food for those forced into East Lornegau.
“It becomes clearer and clearer, that the government has no solution for the people they illegally dumped on Manus, and that the refugees and asylum seekers must be brought to Australia.”
For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713
