ASYLUM SEEKERS RIOT IN NAURU

During the riot outbreak at the Regional Processing Centre, the Asylum Seekers burned down 80% of the entire camp leaving the kitchen and the Asylum Seekers recreation area.

It is said that one of the Asylum Seekers who didn’t want to get involved in the riot had informed one of the local employee at the camp that a riot is going to take place at 2:30pm in the afternoon and that he must expect the worst case scenario to happen if the whole thing unfold.

Besides that, the Government of the Republic of Nauru had been forewarned of what is about to happen and they called the Commissioner of Police to discuss plans to preventing the whole activity, and the Commissioner told them that he already have a contingency plan in place.

According to anonymous source, the failure of policing at the time of the riot has to revert back to the Commissioner of Police and Transfield Management for not taking the initiative to preventing the entire situation, but being very inactivity in their strategic approach.

It is said that the Asylum Seekers protest begins a day before the riot reach its maximum peak, but Transfield Management and the Commissioner of Police decides to act cool, like nothing is going on. Hence, their act of ignorance has shown evidence of what it is to being non-productive.

Based on the anonymous information, a day before the riot, local employees at the camp have been given precaution to not go any place near the Asylum Seekers settlements. On that same day or the following day before the riot, an asylum seeker poured hot water on a local lady who is working at the kitchen.

Hence, by the time the riot took place, a local police officer Mr. Rory Detageouwa was stabbed with a knife on the arm by an asylum seeker during the riot that led to only worsen the entire situation and the end result is, some asylum seekers have been violently treated by the locals, despite the heavy security measures put into place to protect them.

Before the asylum seekers decides to surrender, there were seven explosions erupted from inside the camp and besides that, it is said that the asylum seekers are throwing rocks and flaming stones at the police response team, which only makes the situation more difficult than it is already.

One asylum seeker had been carried out by the Wilson Security to the ambulance and on the way, got beaten up by the locals despite the securities joint effort to ensuring his safety.

Hence, RPC buses are stoned by the locals while at the same time the asylum seekers dug inside the buses to avoid injuries. Some are crying and screaming for their lives, while the joint security task force between Wilson, Sterling and the Nauru Police Force are trying to control the crowd.

Unfortunately, those who had managed to get on the buses may have escape the trouble at the camp, for just few minutes to experience another attack outside the police station, while the others at the main central prison.

The entire nation has been left under alert for any asylum seekers that are believed to have escaped the camp and luckily, none had been spotted anywhere, otherwise they will have to suffer the worst.

Giving into account the effort of the Wilson, Sterling and the Nauru Police Force, the Asylum Seekers are lucky enough to have been protected by those they have harmed earlier, because  the time they surrendered, Sterling Wilson and the Nauru Police Force are the ones forming the line to control the angry crowd waiting outside the camp.

Thus, it is very unfortunate that the following day after the riot, Nauruan workers at the Regional Processing Centre employed under the Salvation Army are laid off from work for 1 week. Thus, these people include those who had left the Public Services and other Public Sectors to find employment at the camp.

Hence the Government’s decision to removing the Commissioner of Police Mr. Richard Britten is a good initiative, as Mr. Britten’s non-active policies have affected the overall image of the Nauru Police Force.

Today Cabinet and Caucus are going up to the camp for a site visit as per one of the Caucus members, and hopeful they will release some update on their view in this matter later on today.

The other issue that RPC personnel should worry about now is the welfare of the asylum seekers, as they are at risk now to be released into the communities anytime right after the riot. It is wise for both the Australia and Nauru Government to consider replacing the current, as they are now considered threat to the communities and maybe harmed if seen outside the camp.

More update will be posted.