Watchdog praises judge

 TRANSPARENCY International has welcomed the decision by Justice David Cannings to visit the Manus island refugee processing centre next week.

National Court judge Cannings is holding an inquiry into alleged human rights abuse at the centre and will invite asylum seekers to provide evidence of rights abuse.

Cannings leaves for Madang on Thursday to hear application from any interested party who wish to be part of the proceedings. He plans to be in Manus from Monday next week.

TIPNG chairman Lawrence Stephens in a statement said it welcomed the initiative of the court to address the Manus refugee issues.

“We have been questioning the right of PNG to import people against their will and to lock them up when they have not broken our laws,” he said.

“TIPNG sees this as a basic principle of law, of constitutional rights of all people in PNG, citizens and non-citizens.

“We fear that in our haste to be of assistance to Australia, we have ignored the legal rights of refugees.”

Lawrence said TIPNG believed that the recent court decision gave hope to people who were concerned about the laws and principles being ignored. 

“We now see yet another sign that, despite our many problems, PNG is a vibrant constitutional democracy where wrongs can be addressed legally. 

“TIPNG is concerned about suggestions that PNG’s sovereignty has been compromised, that our officials appear to be taking instructions from an international security company and that we have failed to ensure the safety of the refugees. 

“However, we are greatly encouraged when our officials make it clear that the Constitution is respected and that even the most deprived members of our community are protected.”