Minister makes stand clear on deportation of American trio

 FOREIGN Affairs and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato has reiterated that three American missionaries facing deportation had failed to cooperate with Government officials.

He said the removal orders for Julia Lutz, Anton Lutz and Jeffery Horne serving in Enga were based on:

• Their presence to serve in PNG was not sanctioned by the local Gutnius Lutheran Church;
• there was no disclosure by the Lutzs on their work in the church;
• the Lutzs refused to participate in certain programmes  supported by the government in Wapenamanda district;
• the Lutzs refused to comply with a Supreme Court order to return the church properties to the church; and,
• the Americans refused to co-operate in an investigation against them by the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority.

Pato said what they were doing in the church and local politics were not welcomed by a greater part of the community.

“The Lutzs were asked to leave the country voluntarily and return under a more transparent and accountable framework with the church or government,” he said.

“When removal orders were signed on grounds supported by law and evidence, their visas were automatically cancelled. Any continued presence in PNG is deemed unlawful and in breach of the Migration Act.  Review process can be invoked after the person is removed from jurisdiction or has left the country.”

Pato said the powers under the Migration Act were solely vested in the Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister and could be exercised with respect to non-citizens if grounds existed for exercising them.