Refugee drowns on Manus Island as PNG calls for resettlement plan

A refugee has drowned at a waterfall on Manus Island, the immigration department has confirmed, as reports circulate that Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court has called for the Australian government to present a resettlement plan.

manus island

The Manus Island detention centre. Source: AAP

A Pakistani refugee has drowned at a waterfall on Manus Island.

Australia's immigration department told AAP it is aware of the man's tragic drowning.

"Australian government representatives remain in close contact with the Royal PNG Constabulary which is managing the situation," a spokesman for the department said.

The man reportedly accidentally slipped and fell on a rock at the waterfall and hit his head.

reported the refugee, who they had named as Kamil, disappeared on Tuesday afternoon and was found two hours later after a search by locals.

The news organisation also quoted a tribute to the man from a fellow refugee.

“RIP Dear Kamil, 
happy freedom dear Kamil 
u had alot of wishes like each of us inside this cage but Australia took away our wishes .... 
we see them but we cant touch them ... 
we passe away slowly slowly in the way of freedom from this cage....
Happy freedom dear Kamil my thought are with you, happy freedom dear Reza Barati, happy freedom dear Hamid Hhazai....
happy freedom dear Kamil,
i know how you got through so much, 
not me everyone knows how we are suffering but.....
Dear kamil i wish will be the Next .....
happy freedom 
R I P”

In April the Papua New Guinea Supreme Court ruled the Manus Island detention centre was illegal and detainees have been free to move around the island since then.

The has reported the Supreme Court has now called for the Australian government to present a resettlement plan for the nearly 900 asylum seekers still living on the island.

Ben Lomai, a lawyer for some of the detainees told the ABC: "The court has embarked on this process on issue of resettlement".

"That is a matter for the two governments, what we want is for them to be released," he said.

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Published 3 August 2016 6:30am
Updated 3 August 2016 12:02pm
Source: AAP


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