The Uniting Church has renewed calls for the immediate closure of the Nauru detention centre after another damning report into the centre’s operations.
The Senate Select Committee’s report, released on Monday, describes a disturbing lack of transparency and accountability about what is happening in the centre. It raises serious issues about the safety and wellbeing of people and concludes that the detention centre is ‘not adequate, appropriate or safe’ for asylum seekers.
Mr Stuart McMillan, president of the Uniting Church in Australia said Australia has a moral responsibility to ensure the safety of asylum seekers are safe in these centres.
“But they are not safe,” Mr McMillan said.
“How many reports and allegations of the abuse and sexual assault of women and children do we need before the Government takes action?
“The Uniting Church has long been calling on the Australian Government to close the detention centre on Nauru and bring everyone to Australia. The Government should act immediately on the Committee’s recommendation that all children and their families be released.”
The Senate Select Committee report clearly states that the centre is the responsibility of the Australian Government. The majority of the Committee concluded that, as currently operated, there can be no guarantee of transparency and accountability and no guarantee that any aspect of the detention centre is well run.
Rev Elenie Poulos, national director of UnitingJustice Australia said the government can no longer say the detention centre is Nauru’s responsibility.
“It is outrageous that the Government has just awarded the current operator, Transfield, another five-year contract to operate the centre, Ms Poulos said.
“Women and children have been raped and abused on their watch. The centre belongs to us and we are responsible for all that happens there.
“The detention centre on Nauru breeds despair and hopelessness, neglect and abuse, and severe mental and physical health problems. We can no longer ignore the damage we are inflicting on vulnerable people, including children.”
The people being detained on Manus Island are now are being held against all notion of Christianity, humanity and justice. The Australian community have been very spoilt over a long period with little to affect their everyday lives, other than the unfortunate cases of local murder and the tragic circumstances of Port Arthur. Those who come to this country from other places have faced perpetual and ongoing torture, persecution, hatred, starvation, rape, constant risk of jail for beliefs, on an ongoing basis. This is applicable often to both men and women and children. Surely this country can show the world that it has the capacity to be humane and just, and selfless enough to encourage those who need to be here to have the opportunity to have a happy, productive, and positive life.