Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2016 20:08:25 GMT 7
The Salvation Army has effectively urged a Tamil asylum seeker on Manus Island to go home because: "You will never live in Australia".
A Salvation Army risk and compliance officer, who is only identified as "Andrew", wrote to a Tamil man on the charity's letterhead in January 2014 saying: "You can expect to remain in this facility for a very long time whilst this process is undertaken.
"You may be given an opportunity to be re-settled in PNG but I am not sure when or if this may occur. The only other option available to you is to seek repatriation with the assistance to IOM (International Organization for Migration) to your country of origin.
"If you choose not to go home you will spend a very, very long time here. You have been told lies by people smugglers."
The Salvation Army has declared publicly its opposition to offshore detention and received more than $70 million under a contract to provide humanitarian services on Manus Island and Nauru between 2012 and 2014. A spokesman acknowledged the letter was written by one of its staff "in consultation" with the Immigration Department.
Read more: www.smh.com.au/national/salvation-army-tells-asylum-seeker-he-will-never-live-in-australia-20160222-gn0yxn.html#ixzz40zp9YUfG
A Salvation Army risk and compliance officer, who is only identified as "Andrew", wrote to a Tamil man on the charity's letterhead in January 2014 saying: "You can expect to remain in this facility for a very long time whilst this process is undertaken.
"You may be given an opportunity to be re-settled in PNG but I am not sure when or if this may occur. The only other option available to you is to seek repatriation with the assistance to IOM (International Organization for Migration) to your country of origin.
"If you choose not to go home you will spend a very, very long time here. You have been told lies by people smugglers."
The Salvation Army has declared publicly its opposition to offshore detention and received more than $70 million under a contract to provide humanitarian services on Manus Island and Nauru between 2012 and 2014. A spokesman acknowledged the letter was written by one of its staff "in consultation" with the Immigration Department.
Read more: www.smh.com.au/national/salvation-army-tells-asylum-seeker-he-will-never-live-in-australia-20160222-gn0yxn.html#ixzz40zp9YUfG
