Asylum Seekers

While the asylum seekers claim for refugee status is pending for review by the Nauruan Government under its national refugee laws, yet the asylum seekers have been granted freedom to go around the island by RPC bus and staffs to visit some other places around the country for physical activities.   

Photograph taken by: Clint Deidenang 19 December 2012, 2:38pm

Some of these places include the tennis court in Aiwo District, the hospital, sport fields, stores and other recreational areas including the beach for swimming and relaxing to get over stress and other mental problems that could happen to them, if they are being separated from society.

Photograph taken by: Clint Deidenang 23 October 2012, 3:46pm

While all these are happening, including the construction of new houses, the question left to answer now is how long will the process be for this people to be held under the ‘Australia and Nauru Regional Processing Centre Agreement’. Asylum seekers are not prisoners to be kept waiting for a long period of time, but were unfortunate people who are searching for new life in other countries including Australia.

Photograph taken by: Clint Deidenang 2 January 2013, 4:32pm

Hope the Nauru and Australia Governments will review the status of these people’s and their refugee claims ASAP. Because having them kept for long will not help Australia to resolve their problems, but rather only allowing the number of boat people to increase gradually on their shores. On another important note is where is or what have become of the labour government policy for turning the boat around.