Refugees’ vetting process done: PM

By HELEN TARAWA in Da Nang, Vietnam
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says the vetting process for the refugees on Manus has been completed and Lombrum will return to its services as a PNG military naval base.
The asylum seekers’ processing centre was established at the base.
“We have already identified who are considered to be genuine refugees and the Australian government and others are looking for their resettlement in the third countries,” O’Neill said.
“The separation is now taking place, the genuine refugees are now being taken to the Lorengau centre where there is sufficient food and accommodation for them.
“Non-genuine refugees are to be taken to a different centre in Manus. They will be processed and taken back to their country of origin. This is now a completion process of the centre.”
O’Neill said the people who were causing distress were identified but a lot of refugees had not moved because of fear and intimidation.
“We are not going to allow this to continue. We will do it as humanly as possible but it will turn into a law-and-order matter if the refugees are not moved to the centres that they are designated to.
“I encourage the refugees to move voluntarily.
“The Supreme Court has made the decision.”