asylum seekers face eviction
asylum seekers face eviction
# Asylum Seekers from Manus Island Face Eviction in PNG (2025/03/08)
Summary:
Former Manus Island detainees who sought asylum in Australia remain stranded in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and are now facing threats of eviction due to unpaid rent. According to recent reports, more than 40 asylum seekers and their families (including partners and over 30 children) are at risk of becoming homeless as accommodation providers claim they haven't been paid for their services.
Key Details:
Current Situation: Nearly 100 people, including 44 men who sought asylum in Australia, along with 17 partners and more than 30 children, remain in PNG despite the Manus Island detention center being ruled unlawful by PNG's supreme court in 2016.
Eviction Threat: Accommodation providers claim they are owed approximately $110,000 in rental arrears. In a letter to PNG's Chief Migration Officer, providers stated they would cease all services if outstanding payments were not resolved.
Funding Dispute: The crisis stems from a disagreement between Australia and PNG over funding responsibilities:
Australia's Home Affairs department claims it provided a "substantial sum" to PNG under a confidential bilateral agreement signed in December 2021, transferring "full and independent management" to PNG.
PNG's Immigration Citizenship and Services Authority (ICSA) officials maintain they are "working with Home Affairs for funding" and cannot sustain the program without further Australian support.
Human Impact: Refugees like Faisal Elzeiny, who lives with his wife and two young daughters in Port Moresby, face uncertainty about their future. Food vouchers and other support services have already been cut in recent weeks.
Government Responses:
PNG Prime Minister James Marape has stated the refugees "would not be thrown out on the street" and that they are "guests in this country" who "will be looked after."
The Albanese government in Australia was reported to be preparing a new funding deal with PNG after the country threatened to send asylum seekers back to Australia.
This situation highlights the ongoing humanitarian concerns for refugees caught in prolonged detention and resettlement processes, with many having spent a decade in PNG after seeking asylum in Australia.