84 civil society organizations in the region and beyond have co-signed a letter to the Pacific Islands Forum leaders and observers with calls to ensure that the issue of refugees in Nauru and Manus in Australia’s offshore processing facilities is on the agenda at their Pacific Islands Forum meeting this week.
This was highlighted by the Regional Researcher at Amnesty International, Roshika Deo who says that the issue is not on the agenda, and these leaders need to take heed of the calls made.
Deo says right now there is an escalating health crisis in Nauru amongst the refugee children, as they have children as young as 10-years-old that are attempting to commit suicide and are inflicting self harm.
Meanwhile, Political Advisor at Diverse Voices and Action (DIVA) for Equality, Noelene Nabulivou says that this is the responsibility of the civil society in the region to speak up when there is something this important and what is considered a violation of international human rights law.
Nabulivou says that there are reports from Amnesty International and other civil societies and three of the support workers that have been helping out have come back from Nauru in the strongest possible term, and they are telling everyone that they need to close the camp down.
Nabulivou says that this is a political solution that has never worked.
