The Salvation Army Supports UNHCR Report and Recommendations on Manus Island Regional Processing Centre
11 February 2013
The Salvation Army welcomes the UNHCR report on the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre (RPC).
The report makes a number of important recommendations regarding The Manus Island Centre, including calling for refugee status determination to commence as soon as possible. The Salvation Army has previously raised concerns over the lack of clarity and information provided to transferees in relation to their asylum claims.
The report also raised particular concerns about the situation of children transferred to Manus Island, and the standard of conditions and facilities available to transferees.
The Salvation Army Regional Director of Offshore Missions, Major Paul Moulds, who is based in Manus Island RPC, welcomed the visit of the UNHCR and the findings of the report. “The Salvation Army's mission in Nauru and Manus Island is to provide humanitarian support services to the transferees. The Salvation Army is committed to seeing the asylum seekers’ lives improved while they are in these difficult circumstances. We were able to meet with the UNHRC on their recent visit to Manus Island and believe their report is a fair assessment of the RPC and their recommendations provide a good foundation for action and improvement by the Australian and PNG governments.”
The Salvation Army is also supportive of UNHCR’s recommendation for a clear legal process and timeline to facilitate assessment of asylum seekers refugee claims, open access for asylum seekers in the local community while awaiting determination of their status, and independent and periodic review of the Regional Processing Centres. “We welcome more agencies like the UNHCR, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and Amnesty International, visiting Nauru and Manus Island to encourage transparency and accountability in these centres,” 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.