129 asylum seekers offered resettlement in PNG

Transcript

129 asylum seekers at the Australian-run centre have been officially declared refugees and are being offered the choice of staying in PNG.

A facility has been built in Lorengau, the capital of Manus, where those found to be refugees will receive services to help them integrate into the community.

But as Indira Moala reports, there is debate about whether or not the refugees will be welcome in the country.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says more than 400 other asylum seekers have left the processing centre to return to their home countries.  Pamela Curr, from Australia's Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, says the men in the camp are terrified of being put outside the detention centre because of fears of violence.

PAMELA CURR: While they've been in the camp, they've often been subject to threats from locals. Not all the locals, but many of the locals. Constantly making gestures about cutting their throats. Constantly threatening them, telling them 'when you get out, you're finished'. And so, yes they are very anxious about their safety. So of course, the situation in PNG presents a great threat.

Ms Curr says the system in Manus is designed to make the inmates so fearful that they voluntarily return home.

PAMELA CURR: The situation in Manus is really designed to break people. I've heard that expression over and over from different people who'd worked there. It is designed to get people to agree to go home.

But one of the principal landowners at the detention camp site, rejects reports the refugees face threats from locals.  Porou Papi says most Manus people want to encourage those who are skilled to stay and contribute to the province.

POROU PAPI:  The locals want them to be part and parcel of their workforce - our locals in Manus, but other provinces, I don't know. But if they settle some in Manus, we don't mind. They are Manusans, okay? We were telling them, if you want to stay here, you'll be a Manus Citizen.

Mr Papi says he's spoken to refugees who can not wait to be free from detainment and settle in PNG.

POROU PAPI: One of them, who came to the village, a cousin of mine brought this guy in after processing him at the Lorengau camp. They dropped into the village and we were sitting at the beach and he said 'At last this is freedom. I want to be locked up there.' I said, I'm happy with these people, they can stay here. He said he wants to be in Manus and he wants to stay there. 'I want to stay here forever' that's what he was telling us.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says his government is undertaking extensive public awareness campaigns to help support the integration of the refugees into the community.