The Refugee Council of Australia has called for an immediate moratorium on transfers to Nauru following the tragic example of a five-year-old girl who has attempted to commit suicide following her prolonged detention there.
Over 100 Australian organisations and community groups, including churches and religious institutions, human rights, aid and development bodies, advocates and community organisations have joined the call to cease transfer of asylum seekers back to harm.
Paul Power, CEO of the Refugee Council of Australia said, “An innocent young girl of just five years old has been driven to attempting suicide because of the Australian Government’s inability to provide a satisfactory duty of care on Nauru. No child should be sent there and certainly not sent to a situation while the environment remains so dangerous.
“This young girl, who has shown sexualised behaviour, has self-harmed and is obviously profoundly and negatively impacted by the Australian Government’s policy of detaining children in extremely harsh environments, is indicative of the inability of the inadequacy of this current policy.
“Any parent would be appalled by the impact on this vulnerable young girl, and we call upon the Australian Government to immediately cease the transfer of vulnerable asylum seekers until all the recommendations of the Moss Review and the Cornall report are implemented.
“We call on the Australian Government to show some compassion for a young vulnerable girl and not return her, nor any other vulnerable people to Nauru until the safety and protection of all asylum seekers can be guaranteed.
“The recent Moss Review and Cornall Reports illustrated sexual abuse, including rape, violence, drugs for favours and a general failure to provide safety and security, particularly for women and children, highlighted the inappropriateness of Nauru as a place to send already vulnerable asylum seekers.
“The Government has accepted all recommendations in the Moss Report and as such, no further children, women, nor men should be sent to Nauru not Manus until all recommendations are satisfied and safety and security of children and women can be assured,” concluded Mr Power.
For the full statement and list of signatories, click here.
Support the campaign online using #NoMoreTransfers
Sydney, Australia, 17 March 2015: Thousands of children in cyclone-ravaged Vanuatu are in desperate need of safe water, following the destruction of local water supplies and sanitation facilities by Tropical Cyclone Pam.
With wind gusts reaching up to 320kmph, Pam is one of the strongest cyclones ever to hit the South Pacific, leaving at least 24 people dead, thousands of homes, schools and buildings damaged or destroyed and an estimated 3,300 people displaced.
ChildFund Australia has launched an emergency appeal to help provide safe water and sanitation facilities for affected children and their families. ChildFund is partnering with Live & Learn Vanuatu, a child-focused organisation that has been operating in Vanuatu for many years, to respond to this disaster and ensure children are protected.
“One of the main concerns now is to restore clean water to help ensure the health of children in cyclone-ravaged areas,” said ChildFund Australia CEO Nigel Spence. ‘”Contaminated water can contain diseases such as cholera, which causes severe diarrhoea and can lead to death.
“ChildFund is working with Live & Learn to restore water systems and sanitation facilities in schools and to protect and support children in Vanuatu whose lives are in upheaval as a result of this disaster.”
On Efate Island, where the capital Port Vila is located, an estimated 90 per cent of structures are either damaged or destroyed. Shefa, Tafea, Malampa and Penama are emerging as the worst impacted areas, although Shefa remains the only province declared an emergency.
Anjali Nelson, an Australian aid worker based in Port Vila, is a technical advisor with Live & Learn Vanuatu and part of the team currently conducting assessments.
“The situation in Vanuatu is unfolding,” said Ms Nelson. “While the main centre of Port Vila has been reconnected to the water supply, there are many communities in the surrounding areas that still have no access to water, and sanitation is a huge issue for these people. We expect things are even worse in other areas. Priorities may change as more information becomes known, particularly from the outer islands.”
Donations made to ChildFund Australia’s emergency appeal will help ensure restoration of safe, clean drinking water. Donations will help:
- Reconstruct damaged water tanks to restore safe water supply.
- Rebuild sanitation facilities to help contain disease and prevent it from spreading.
- Provide water purification tablets as a temporary measure to prevent illness.
- Educate children on hygiene and sanitation awareness.
