Man removed from Manus

National

The PNG Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority (ICSA) has removed another person without lawful residential status from the Manus regional processing centre.
Acting Chief Migration Officer Solomon Kantha said the man had his protection claims examined and was found not to be under PNG’s protection obligations.
Kantha praised the work of the immigration compliance staff, who he said “carefully planned and managed the operation in a manner that maintained the dignity of the deportee”.
He said PNG was welcoming to those “in genuine need of protection but non-refugees were found not to be owed protection and needed to return home”.
Kantha said the authority continued to plan further removal operations.
He noted that many non-refugees had accepted assistance to return home voluntarily and that the authority continued to encourage others to do the same.
Kantha said “those non-refugees who chose not to depart should know that ICSA would continue to meet its statutory obligations and remove them from PNG”.
Kantha said the closure of the centre would give refugees and non-refugees certainty and a chance to move on with their lives.
“ICSA has been clear with refugees that they have other accommodation options available such as temporarily relocation to the East Lorengau Refugee Transit Centre, settling permanently in PNG and returning or moving to a third country they have the right to reside in,” Kantha said.
“PNG is a diverse nation, willing to accept differing customs, religions and traditions from all over the world. I know that refugees will feel welcome in our communities as they begin to leave Manus and move to other accommodation.”