A spokesperson for the Salvation Army in Australia says it has still not been approached by the Papua New Guinea police months after the riot at Australia's Manus Island Detention centre which led to the death of an Asylum seeker.
The Cornall Review released by the Australian government found several local staff, including a Salvation Army employee, responsible for the death of 23-year-old Iranian Reza Barati during the riots.
Indira Moala reports
The former Salvation Army employee, who is a PNG national, has been described by the organisation as a hero, saying he was attempting to help those injured in the violence. In its submission to the Senate inquiry into the violence, the Salvation Army described the worker as very caring and dedicated. A local resident who witnessed the riot from outside the centre, Porou Papi, claims that local staff were not responsible for the violence and said it was the G4S security guards who attacked the asylum seekers. The Australian government has since dropped the contract with TSA, G4S and the Salvation Army whose office in Manus has since been closed. PNG's Deputy Police Commissioner called the Cornall Review inconclusive and said its release only hampered their ongoing investigation. A spokesperson for the Salvation Army says the organisation remains ready and willing to cooperate with PNG police in the investigation.
