Papua New Guinea to close Australia refugee camp: PM

Papua New Guinea (PNG) says it will close the Australian-funded asylum seeker camp on Manus Island after a court ruled that holding refugees in the facility was unconstitutional and illegal.

PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said in a statement on Wednesday that the government would shut down the facility, which is being used to detain some 850 asylum seekers who sought to reach Australia by boat.

The decision came a day after the Supreme Court ruled that the detention was in breach of the right to personal liberty enshrined in the country’s constitution.

"Respecting this ruling, Papua New Guinea will immediately ask the Australian government to make alternative arrangements for the asylum-seekers currently held at the Regional Processing Center," O’Neill said.

Australia has been under pressure from international rights groups and UN agencies for its asylum policies that send boat refugees to remote processing centers on Manus Island and Nauru, with no chance of being settled on the Australian territory.

Australia’s Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the PNG court ruling would not change the country’s border protection policy. He added that none of the refugees on Manus would be able to come to Australia and they should either return to their home countries or settle in a third country.

The PNG premier invited the “legitimate refugees” to live in his country if they like to stay there.

ME