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| Manus Island employee says telling lies about resettlement was a factor in riots | Manus Island employee says telling lies about resettlement was a factor in riots |
| (3 months later) | |
| Staff at the Manus Island processing centre were told to “stick to the script” and lie to asylum seekers about their prospects of resettlement, which may have contributed to the violent disturbances at the facility last week, according to a whistleblower who was on the island. | Staff at the Manus Island processing centre were told to “stick to the script” and lie to asylum seekers about their prospects of resettlement, which may have contributed to the violent disturbances at the facility last week, according to a whistleblower who was on the island. |
| In a revealing interview on SBS programme Dateline on Tuesday night, Liz Thompson – who worked for a claims assistance provider on Manus Island up until the violence that occurred last week at the facility – said she was instructed to tell asylum seekers they were going to be settled in Papua New Guinea, even though there were no real plans in place. | In a revealing interview on SBS programme Dateline on Tuesday night, Liz Thompson – who worked for a claims assistance provider on Manus Island up until the violence that occurred last week at the facility – said she was instructed to tell asylum seekers they were going to be settled in Papua New Guinea, even though there were no real plans in place. |
| “We knew this was ridiculous. But we were lying to people and we were told to keep that message going, to keep it clear,” she said. | “We knew this was ridiculous. But we were lying to people and we were told to keep that message going, to keep it clear,” she said. |
| When asked whether this was one of the reasons that led to the dramatic escalation of events at the facility last week, Thompson said: “Yes, because what they realised – you know what they wanted was not just the interviews and a process, something to feel better about, something to be involved in ... they want to know where they are going.” | When asked whether this was one of the reasons that led to the dramatic escalation of events at the facility last week, Thompson said: “Yes, because what they realised – you know what they wanted was not just the interviews and a process, something to feel better about, something to be involved in ... they want to know where they are going.” |
| Protests on Manus Island last week escalated into violence involving guards, local contractors and asylum seekers. One asylum seeker was killed during the disturbance and several were seriously injured. The immigration minister, Scott Morrison, has been criticised after being forced to revise his account of where the events took place, conceding on Saturday night that most happened inside the perimeter of the centre. | Protests on Manus Island last week escalated into violence involving guards, local contractors and asylum seekers. One asylum seeker was killed during the disturbance and several were seriously injured. The immigration minister, Scott Morrison, has been criticised after being forced to revise his account of where the events took place, conceding on Saturday night that most happened inside the perimeter of the centre. |
| Thompson also said they were under threat of removal from the island if they mentioned resettlement in a third country. | Thompson also said they were under threat of removal from the island if they mentioned resettlement in a third country. |
| “It was made very clear to us, every day, sometimes even twice a day, under the threat of being removed from the island, we were not to talk about third country. We were not to suggest that there was any resettlement options. We were not to suggest that they were able to get off PNG. You need to stick to the script or you’ll be taken off the island,” she said. | “It was made very clear to us, every day, sometimes even twice a day, under the threat of being removed from the island, we were not to talk about third country. We were not to suggest that there was any resettlement options. We were not to suggest that they were able to get off PNG. You need to stick to the script or you’ll be taken off the island,” she said. |
| “But we were informed when we went there very quickly this time around that resettlement – we were not to discuss resettlement. We were not to discuss third-countries options – third country meaning, not PNG and not your own country.” | “But we were informed when we went there very quickly this time around that resettlement – we were not to discuss resettlement. We were not to discuss third-countries options – third country meaning, not PNG and not your own country.” |
| Thompson said Manus Island was “designed as an experiment in the active creation of horror to secure the deterrence”. She said the death of the asylum seeker last week, Reza Barati, reinforced the deterrent value of the centre. | Thompson said Manus Island was “designed as an experiment in the active creation of horror to secure the deterrence”. She said the death of the asylum seeker last week, Reza Barati, reinforced the deterrent value of the centre. |
| “That’s why I say again that Reza Barati’s death is not a crisis for the department. It’s actually an opportunity – it’s an opportunity to extend that logic one step further, to say: ‘This happens.’ But deterrence continues, Operation Sovereign Borders continue.” | “That’s why I say again that Reza Barati’s death is not a crisis for the department. It’s actually an opportunity – it’s an opportunity to extend that logic one step further, to say: ‘This happens.’ But deterrence continues, Operation Sovereign Borders continue.” |
| Thompson’s comments about the uncertainty of claims escalating the situation on the island echo similar comments made in a review into the Nauru riot in July 2013. The review, which was released on Saturday, has blamed uncertainty about processing asylum claims and the Immigration Department’s lack of oversight as major causes of the incident. | |
| The prime minister, Tony Abbott, defended Morrison’s handling of the Manus Island incident over the weekend, and said: ‘'You don’t want a wimp running border protection.” | The prime minister, Tony Abbott, defended Morrison’s handling of the Manus Island incident over the weekend, and said: ‘'You don’t want a wimp running border protection.” |
| '’You want someone who is strong, who is decent, and Scott Morrison is both strong and decent,” he said. | '’You want someone who is strong, who is decent, and Scott Morrison is both strong and decent,” he said. |