Manus island refugees

Manus refugee back in PNG hospital

They said he has swallowed a total of eight blades - six last Friday, and then two more after he was admitted to hospital.

In hospital, he also swallowed a pair of nail clippers.

He has had one scan to locate the blades and nail clippers, but there has been no more treatment.

Since being taken by Australia to Manus, the man has been sent to Port Moresby three times for treatment.

     

New Manus centre's conditions harsh, says refugee

About 600 refugees had spent as long as four years detained by Australia at another, larger centre on Manus until that was officially shut down at the end of October.

Over three weeks later, PNG police had forcibly moved them all to three new accommodation facilities in Lorengau town.

According to the refugees and human rights organisations, the new facilities are inadequate.

Kurdish journalist and refugee, Behrouz Boochani, said conditions were worse than at the old centre.

Calls by Australian med staff to see Manus Island refugees

The group of eighteen doctors said it is deeply concerned about the refugees' physical and mental well-being, as well as harm being done to the international reputation of Australia.

It says reports of a lack of sanitation, electricity and inadequate living conditions in new refugee facilities on the island, are factors that can exacerbate disease.

The group says it is prepared to conduct the review pro-bono and to nominate appropriate and credible clinicians to help.

Manus Island refugees health in peril, say advocates

About 400 men, detained without charge by Australia since 2013, are refusing to move to other facilities on the island despite power, water, food and medication being cut when the centre closed at the end of October.

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre's Natasha Blucher entered the detention centre last week with three colleagues.

Ms Blucher said men with chronic health conditions, skin infections and mental illnesses are running out of medication.

Manus Island refugees call for water

About 400 men are refusing to leave the centre after it was closed two weeks ago by Australia, cutting essential services.

Staff from the PNG immigration department raided the centre on Monday, destroying rain water storage and polluting two wells dug this month by refugees.

The refugees said on Wednesday they had cleaned the wells of rubbish, but during last night's daily protest in the centre the men chanted for water.

Refugees in two of the three alternative facilities for the men on Manus have also reported water shortages.

With NZ offer rejected, Manus refugees doubt US resettlement prospects

A deal was struck last year between Canberra and the administration of former president Barack Obama to take up to 1250 of the refugees, but so far only 54 from Manus and Nauru have been accepted.

On Sunday, the Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said he would wait for the deal to play out before considering New Zealand's offer to resettle up to 150 of the refugees.

It was extended by his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern when the pair met in Sydney on Sunday.

Manus Island refugees 'dig for water' in Australia camp

About 600 men at the centre on Manus Island do not want to leave, saying they fear being attacked outside.

Meanwhile, New Zealand has reiterated its offer to accept up to 150 refugees from Australia's detention centres.

Canberra has repeatedly rejected New Zealand's offer.

Australia holds asylum seekers who arrive by boat on PNG's Manus Island, and on the Pacific island of Nauru.

Australia withdrew from the Manus Island centre on Tuesday, following a PNG court ruling that the centre was unconstitutional.