cohealth calls on government to evacuate men on manus

cohealth is deeply concerned about the health & welfare of the refugees and asylum seeker men on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea.

Given the escalating crisis situation on Manus Island, cohealth supports the calls from the Australian Medical Association (AMA) for assurances that the health and wellbeing of refugees and asylum seekers will be protected by the Australian government.

cohealth strongly agrees with the AMA that it is unacceptable that electricity and water has been cut off, and even more unacceptable – and dangerous – to cut medical care and medications to these men, many of whom are seriously mentally and physically unwell.

Many of the 816 men detained on Manus for the last four and a half years, have already been subject to violent attacks in Lorengau. Six refugees and asylum seekers have died on Manus Island whilst detained.

The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea has said they will not force people to leave and is calling on the Australian government to find a solution.

The Australian government must take responsibility and evacuate these people to safety immediately, especially considering that Australia is a signatory to The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

cohealth, as a large rights based community health organisation supports and cares for refugees and asylum seekers daily. We join with faith and ethnic community leaders, rural Australians, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, the AMA, lawyers, teachers, artists, politicians from all sides, and international and local Human Rights organisations who have condemned Australia’s offshore detention regime.

More information: Richard Meredith: 0438 553 052 | richard.meredith@cohealth.org.au