End in Sight?
Nauru MP Chides Aussies
from AAP & The Age (Melbourne)

Some Afghan detainees on Nauru will be granted refugee status by the United Nations.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees regional representative Michel Gabaudan said yesterday some of the 22 it was reassessing would be recognised as refugees.

Also in Nauru today

Nauru protests to Australia

I read with concern Senator Amanda Vanstone's comments (4/1) that "asylum seekers on Nauru who refused to eat are not the responsibility of the Australian Government."

Our Memorandum of Understanding obliges Australia to ensure the day-to-day management of asylum seeker facilities, including medical treatment.

Nauru has provided medical attention to the hunger strikers for humanitarian reasons. Australia has not discussed the hunger strike with us, let alone formally seek our assistance.

We have called on Australia for the urgent provision of medical and nursing staff, supplies and equipment.

Not only are the lives of hunger strikers at stake, but also the medical needs of Nauruans, owing to the pressure on our health system.

The Australian Government must act now to recognise its MOU with Nauru as well as its humanitarian obligation by providing adequate care and treatment for the asylum seekers

signed K. Clodumar, MP, Minister for Finance, Republic of Nauru

More

January 6, 2004, Tuesday

SECTION: Domestic News

LENGTH: 231 words

HEADLINE: Fed: Some Nauruan Afghans to get refugee status

DATELINE: CANBERRA, Jan 6

BODY:

Some Afghan detainees on Nauru will be granted refugee status by the United
Nations.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees regional representative Michel Gabaudan
said yesterday some of the 22 it was reassessing would be recognised as
refugees.

"We will indeed have some people who will be recognised," Mr Gabaudan said.

"We will have some people for whom we think returning is not appropriate."

The UNHCR decided to reassess the 22 it originally rejected because it
believed Afghanistan had become more dangerous.

Its decision will put pressure on the federal government, which assessed the
rest of the detainees and has promised to look at any new information the UNHCR
provides about changed conditions in Afghanistan.

It also raised the question of where those granted refugee status would go.

The New Zealand Dominion Post newspaper said Australian Afghan community
leader Gholam Aboss had recommended that they go to New Zealand.

Mr Aboss and former Australian immigration minister John Hodge went to Nauru
last month on behalf of the government after more than 40 detainees started a
hunger strike.

Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone refused to comment on the New Zealand
report, saying only that she would meet Mr Aboss and Mr Hodge later this week to
discuss their findings.

Although 10 detainees have pulled out of the hunger strike, about 35 are
continuing.

LOAD-DATE: January 6, 2004



News; Letters; Pg. 8

LENGTH: 1877 words

HEADLINE: LETTERS

BODY:

Nauru protests to Australia

I read with concern Senator Amanda Vanstone's comments (4/1) that "asylum
seekers on Nauru who refused to eat are not the responsibility of the Australian
Government."

Our Memorandum of Understanding obliges Australia to ensure the day-to-day
management of asylum seeker facilities, including medical treatment.

Nauru has provided medical attention to the hunger strikers for humanitarian
reasons. Australia has not discussed the hunger strike with us, let alone
formally seek our assistance.

We have called on Australia for the urgent provision of medical and nursing
staff, supplies and equipment.

Not only are the lives of hunger strikers at stake, but also the medical
needs of Nauruans, owing to the pressure on our health system.

The Australian Government must act now to recognise its MOU with Nauru as
well as its humanitarian obligation by providing adequate care and treatment for
the asylum seekers.

K. Clodumar, MP, Minister for Finance, Republic of Nauru

posted by prof_booty | 10:58 AM