Six more refugees leave from Manus for the US, but Trump ban still in place

Six Manus refugees left Port Moresby this morning, Tuesday 19 June, for the United States.

All single men, the refugees are Afghan, Pakistani and one Rohingyan. No refugees from Trump’s list of travel-banned countries are among those travelling to the US.

This brings the total number of refugees from Manus to the US to 108, while another 184 have been accepted from Nauru. The total resettled from Manus and Nauru is 292.

Over 1600 asylum seekers and refugees, including about 140 children, remain on Manus and Nauru.

Fifteen refugees, some brought from Manus to Port Moresby in January 2018, are still waiting to be resettled.

“The delays, the fits and starts and the imposition of the travel ban on refugees from Iran and Somalia have robbed people of any hope of resettlement or freedom,” said Ian Rintoul, from the Refugee Action Coalition.

“The five year imprisonment and the uncertainly has created an epidemic of despair and mental illness on Nauru and Manus Island.

“For political blind indifference to the suffering created by offshore detention, few things match the Australian government’s refusal to allow “Ali”, the terminally-ill Afghan refugee to come to Australia to die in dignity.

“More and more people, a majority of the Australian community, want to end the indifference. It’s time to bring “Ali”, and all the asylum seekers and refugees to Australia.”

The Refugee Action Coalition has called a protest vigil for Fariborz Karami the Iranian asylum seeker who died on Nauru on Friday 15 June, and to call for the government to bring “Ali”, the terminally-ill Afghan refugee to Australia for Friday, 22 June, 5.30pm, Sydney Town Hall. Speakers include: Wendy Bacon, Women Supporting Women On Nauru; David Shoebridge, NSW Greens MP, and refugee community.

For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713

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