This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/27/world/australia/papua-new-guinea-asylum-seeker.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea Finds Australian Offshore Detention Center Illegal | Papua New Guinea Finds Australian Offshore Detention Center Illegal |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea ruled on Tuesday that the Pacific island nation’s detention of people seeking asylum in Australia was illegal, but an Australian official said the decision would not change his country’s tough stand on seaborne migrants. | The Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea ruled on Tuesday that the Pacific island nation’s detention of people seeking asylum in Australia was illegal, but an Australian official said the decision would not change his country’s tough stand on seaborne migrants. |
| More than 800 men who tried to reach Australia by boat in recent years are being held in an Australian-funded detention center on Manus Island in northern Papua New Guinea. | More than 800 men who tried to reach Australia by boat in recent years are being held in an Australian-funded detention center on Manus Island in northern Papua New Guinea. |
| In its ruling, the five-judge court ordered the governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia to end those detentions. The ruling gave no timetable for the release of the detainees, and it was unclear what would happen to them. | |
| The court declared that because the asylum seekers had not entered Papua New Guinea of their own accord, they were not guilty of immigration violations, and that holding them ignored constitutional protections of personal liberty. | The court declared that because the asylum seekers had not entered Papua New Guinea of their own accord, they were not guilty of immigration violations, and that holding them ignored constitutional protections of personal liberty. |
| Peter Dutton, Australia’s immigration minister, said the ruling would not mean that the asylum seekers would be allowed to come to Australia. | Peter Dutton, Australia’s immigration minister, said the ruling would not mean that the asylum seekers would be allowed to come to Australia. |
| “It does not alter Australia’s border protection policies — they remain unchanged,” he said in a written statement. “No one who attempts to travel to Australia illegally by boat will settle in Australia.” | “It does not alter Australia’s border protection policies — they remain unchanged,” he said in a written statement. “No one who attempts to travel to Australia illegally by boat will settle in Australia.” |
| Human rights advocates have criticized Australia’s offshore detention of asylum seekers who seek to arrive by boat. In 2014, an Iranian detainee was killed during two days of rioting at the Manus Island center. | Human rights advocates have criticized Australia’s offshore detention of asylum seekers who seek to arrive by boat. In 2014, an Iranian detainee was killed during two days of rioting at the Manus Island center. |
| Opponents of the offshore detentions said that the ruling on Tuesday suggested that the policy was unsustainable. | Opponents of the offshore detentions said that the ruling on Tuesday suggested that the policy was unsustainable. |
| “Time to bring those left there to Australia to be cared for,” Sarah Hanson-Young, a Greens party senator for South Australia, wrote on Twitter. | “Time to bring those left there to Australia to be cared for,” Sarah Hanson-Young, a Greens party senator for South Australia, wrote on Twitter. |
| “It is well time to close these awful detention camps on Manus & Nauru and start treating people like human beings,” she added, referring also to an Australian-backed processing center on another Pacific island nation. “Anything less is senseless.” | “It is well time to close these awful detention camps on Manus & Nauru and start treating people like human beings,” she added, referring also to an Australian-backed processing center on another Pacific island nation. “Anything less is senseless.” |
| Besides the detainees on Manus, 468 men, women and children were being held in the processing center on Nauru as of March 31. | Besides the detainees on Manus, 468 men, women and children were being held in the processing center on Nauru as of March 31. |
| Australian leaders have said the offshore detentions have led to a steady decrease in the number of attempted arrivals in their country by sea, and those officials have shown few signs of wanting to change the policy. | Australian leaders have said the offshore detentions have led to a steady decrease in the number of attempted arrivals in their country by sea, and those officials have shown few signs of wanting to change the policy. |
| Last year, Mr. Dutton announced that Papua New Guinea would begin resettling refugees held at the Manus camp. But Papua New Guinea officials cautioned that the movement of refugees to cities would have to be carefully controlled to prevent the new arrivals from competing with residents for jobs. | Last year, Mr. Dutton announced that Papua New Guinea would begin resettling refugees held at the Manus camp. But Papua New Guinea officials cautioned that the movement of refugees to cities would have to be carefully controlled to prevent the new arrivals from competing with residents for jobs. |
| So far, the effort has had little success. Although about half of the Manus detainees have been designated as refugees, only eight have been resettled, and at least three have tried to return to the detention center, Fairfax Media in Australia reported. | So far, the effort has had little success. Although about half of the Manus detainees have been designated as refugees, only eight have been resettled, and at least three have tried to return to the detention center, Fairfax Media in Australia reported. |