We don't want to come to Australia: asylum seekers on Nauru

Some of the 900 people detained on Nauru say they don't want to come to Australia anymore and have complained about living conditions.

nauru

Supplied image of tent accommodation at the federal government's offshore detention centre in Nauru. Source: AAP

Several refugees and asylum seekers detained on Nauru say they no longer want to come to Australia after becoming disillusioned by the government's treatment of them as they spend years waiting for their claims to be processed.

One father, who spoke of the frustration at telling his family they would be moving somewhere better for three years, said he no longer wanted to go to Australia.
"Three years (ago) I liked, but now, never," he told the Nine Network.

An Iranian man, named as Mustapha, has opened a restaurant called Bondi Beach, but that is now the last place he wants to see.
He said he can't return to Iran and wanted to move to another country like Canada or New Zealand.

Two other men living on the island expressed similar sentiments.

"Don't like Australia, another country OK," one told Nine's A Current Affair on Monday.
"My government very bad and coming to Australia, government Australia very, very too much bad."

A young refugee who gave his name as Masoud has spent three years of his mid-20s on Nauru.
The now 27-year-old said Australia doesn't believe in human rights when it comes to foreigners.

"Because of racists, I know this," he said.

"Liberal Party is racist. I feel Malcolm (Turnbull) is maybe a bit better than Tony Abbott but Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, most of them, I know if they could they put us in the ocean really easily."

A Pakistani man who's been on Nauru for three years said there was "no humanity on the island" and that locals were robbing those housed in the camps.

"Nauru's not a living country. Small island, it's nothing island," he said.
The asylum seekers and refugees also stage daily protests, placing themselves behind security fences in compounds from which they are allowed to come and go as they please.

Despite complaints from the asylum seekers and refugees, the Nauruan government says they are safe and well treated.

"They're very much well looked after and they're welcome here," President Baron Waqa said.

His justice minister, David Adeang, told Nine the asylum seekers and refugees had it better than the locals.

"They don't pay for utilities, their water and their electricity is for free, they don't have to pay for rent, their houses are new and we give them employment," he said.

"It's not much to complain about."


Share
3 min read
Published 20 June 2016 8:56pm
Updated 20 June 2016 10:08pm
Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends