The Salvation Army Firmly Supports UNHCR Report

The Salvation Army welcomes the report of the UNHCR Mission to the Republic of Nauru which was recently released.

The report adds further strength to the growing demands for improvements in the conditions and legal processes experienced by asylum seekers at the regional processing centre in Nauru.

The Salvation Army shares the concerns outlined in the report, and is particularly supportive of the report’s recommendations that processes for the claims of asylum seekers for a determination of their refugee status be expedited.

The Salvation Army’s Regional Director of Offshore Missions, Major Paul Moulds, who is currently working in Manus Island, welcomed the report.

“The Salvation Army's mission in Nauru and Manus Island is to provide welfare support services to the asylum seekers. We are committed to seeing people's lives improved, by providing them with education and recreational opportunities, and quality care while their refugee status and settlement options are being determined. But our work has been made more difficult by the lack of information and clarity about the time and process that asylum seekers have ahead of them. Hopefully, this report will raise awareness of the need to quickly move forward with this process,” said Major Moulds.

Whilst acknowledging the current limitations of the temporary facilities, Major Moulds said a definite plan for improvement was now underway, and asylum seekers knew that their living conditions will soon be very different. This will also greatly enhance the capacity of Salvation Army staff to provide services and programs for the asylum seekers.

The Salvation Army is also supportive of greater access being granted to the Regional Processing Centres.

“It would be in everybody’s best interests if more agencies like the UNHCR and Amnesty came to Nauru and Manus Island and saw what life is like. All Service Providers are doing their utmost, in difficult circumstances, to care for the transferees and a democratic country like Australia should be open to feedback and scrutiny of how they are dealing with this issue,” said Major Moulds.

The Salvation Army is contracted by the Government of Australia to provide humanitarian support services at the Regional Processing Centres in Nauru and Manus Island.