Year on since refugees released from detention, Morrison Government still locks up others and has no resettlement plan

Media Release

28 January 2022

Today marks one year since 15 people seeking asylum were released from detention, in a week where over 50 people were released. Since then the Morrison Government has failed to provide any resettlement plan for those released and has provided no reasons as to why others in almost identical circumstances are still in detention.

Since December 2020 nearly 200 people seeking asylum and refugees, who were moved to Australia for medical treatment from offshore detention centres, have been released into the community. This was after over 8 years of debilitating conditions in detention centres that have a critical impact on mental and physical health.

There are still around 70 people seeking asylum still held against their will in onshore detention centres, where many have reported maggots in their food, a lack of fresh air, inadequate medical care and a persistent lack of privacy.

There are also around 200 people seeking asylum and refugees on Nauru and PNG after years of detention have still been provided no clear and consistent resettlement plan by the Morrison Government.

For the people released from detention after 8 years the Morrison Government has failed to provide any resettlement plan, instead offering punitive temporary visas with no support with no access to study or travel. Furthermore, the visas also greatly restrict access to work, healthcare, housing, securing loans and many more essentials.

The Morrison Government has presided over a monumental policy failure, one in which hundreds of people seeking a better life have been forcibly prevented from doing so with no clear reason as to why. People seeking asylum still in detention must be urgently released and offered a permanent resettlement plan.

Ramsiyar Sabanayagam, human rights activist and refugee detained on Manus, Mantra and Park Hotel, released on 21 Jan 2021 said: “The temporary visa is better than detention but we have faced a lot of problems. I have had so many experiences over the previous year with short jobs with no security, so many medical issues, I cannot rent a house or a room. Every single thing needs a long term visa, it makes it really difficult, we want to build our life.”

“After 8 years they give us a 6 months visa? This is not a solution. So many things we are missing, there are so many problems. We need to start our lives, we have family, we want to see our family, we cannot travel to see them. I still have friends in detention, in PNG in Nauru, please they need to be released. A temporary visa is not a solution, they need a permanent visa.”

Basim, human rights activist and refugee, detained on Manus, Mantra Hotel, Park Hotel, released 24 August 2021: “All I hope is that my friends in detention are released and given a permanent visa. They are kept locked up and just get more damaged and maybe they will never recover. I am no different from the people who got released 7 years ago and no different from those who are still in detention. I have know idea how they figure out who stays and who goes.”

“I am still in limbo and I do not know my future, but I am much much better than in the hotel. I am finding more care and kindness in this community for refugees. I don’t have work rights, but I requested to work voluntarily and fortunately I can work in community gardens.”

Thanush Selvarasa, human rights activist and refugee detained on Manus, Mantra and MITA, released on 28 Jan 2021 said: “Me and my friends have achieved many things in our first year of freedom. We would like to contribute to this country continuously and we need a permanent visa to do so.”

“I want to get a house but every time I try and rent I get told no because of my visa, I want to get a loan but the bank says no because of my visa, I want to rebuild.”

Myo Win, human rights activist, Rohingyan and refugee detained on Christmas Island and Nauru, released in March 2021, said: “We suffered for 8 years in a horrible situation and now we have a 6 month visa, we cannot do anything with that. I cannot even buy an I-Phone because it needs a long plan. This is very very basic, but everything needs a permanent visa, even big things like travel, work, reunion with family.

“Everyone knows the situation in Burma where my family is. I just think about them, they are not safe, how can I sleep, I am anxious, and on this visa I cannot see them, I don’t know if I will have a chance to see them before I die.”

“We lost 9 years, 9 years they have stolen from us. This visa is just temporary freedom, which is not freedom. We don’t feel safe. We suffer every single day and there is no one to explain why. We deserve more.”

–ENDS–

Media contact: Sam Brennan 0428 973 324 or sam.b4@asrc.org.au