Manus man fails test, deported

National

THE PNG Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority has deported a non-citizen from the Manus regional processing centre who does not have any legal status in Papua New Guinea.
Acting Chief Migration Officer Solomon Kantha said the man had his claims thoroughly checked by the authority and was found to not meet PNG’s protection obligations.
Kantha praised the work of the Immigration Compliance staff who “carefully planned and managed the operation in a manner that maintained the dignity of the deportee and the safety of fellow travellers alike”.
“PNG is welcoming to those in genuine need of protection. However, non-refugees have been found not to be owed protection and need to return home and move on with their lives,” Kantha said.
Kantha said with the pending closure of the regional processing centre by Oct 31, they planned more deportations.
Kantha said many non-refugees had accepted assistance to return home voluntarily. The authority is encouraging others to do the same.
Kantha said “non-refugees who choose not to depart should know that ICSA will continue to meet its statutory obligations and will remove them from PNG”.
Kantha said the closure of the centre would give refugees and non-refugees a chance to move on with their lives.
“ICSA has been clear with refugees that they have other accommodation options available, such as temporarily relocating to the East Lorengau Refugee Transit Centre, settling permanently in Papua New Guinea, returning or moving to a third country they have the right to reside in.”