Australian Medical Association: Remove Refugee Children from Nauru Now
The Australian Medical Association has warned about the conditions of children in refugee camps on Nauru, saying it would be a “miracle” if none of them have lost their lives so far.
In recent days, criticism from international organizations regarding the situation of refugees on the islands of Nauru and Papua, thousands of kilometers away from Australian soil, has intensified once again, and now Australia’s most important medical body has rejoined these calls.
According to the Australian Associated Press report, “AAP,” Dr. Paul Bawert, a spokesperson for the country’s Medical Association, said on October 23rd that nearly all children held in refugee camps on Nauru have suffered psychological harm.
Dr. Bawert told reporters, “This is the only situation I have witnessed in which a government has deliberately pursued a policy that has added to children’s suffering.”
The spokesperson for the Australian Medical Association says many children in the Nauru camp are currently harmed, “but we do not want these harms to become permanent and irreversible.”
He called assistance to children “urgent” and added, “That none of them have lost their lives so far remains a miracle.”
The Medical Association had previously attempted to convince the government to change its policies toward refugees on Nauru. However, Scott Morrison, Australia’s Prime Minister, stated last month in response to these efforts, “I will not take any action that puts Australia’s border protection policies at risk.” These statements mean that the Australian government is unwilling to change its policy of not accepting any boat-borne refugees on its soil and continues to detain them outside its borders.
On Monday, five percent of all Australian doctors signed a letter regarding the situation of refugees, which was sent to the country’s Prime Minister. These doctors are calling for the immediate transfer of approximately 80 children held on Nauru.
Doctors Without Borders also on Thursday, October 19th, emphasizing the “severe” and dangerous mental condition of refugees, particularly children in Nauru detention, called on the Australian government to remove them from the camp. A day later, the UN Office for Refugees and Displaced Persons also asked the Australian government to immediately evacuate and close the refugee camp on islands far from Australian soil.
According to statistics from the “Australian Refugee Council” since last summer, the total number of refugees in both Nauru and Papua regions is estimated at 1,655 people. It is said that a total of 3,127 people were sent to these two countries during agreements between Australia, Nauru, and Papua, many of whom were Iranian; of these, at least 855 people have “voluntarily” left the islands, with the majority returning to their homeland.
Source: Radio Farda
