More refugees attempt suicide in PNG

There have been two more cases, one of attempted suicide and one of serious self-harm, involving refugees in Port Moresby overnight.

In the early hours of Monday morning ((3 June), one 30 year old Somali refugee attempted to hang himself off the balcony of the Granville Motel, while a 31 year-old Iranian refugee has badly self–harmed. Both have been taken to the Pacific International Hospital. Their condition is not known. (Around 50 refugees are housed under guard in Granville Motel while they wait for medical treatment at the Pacific International Hospital. Many have been waiting for months without treatment.)

This brings the total number of attempted suicides and incidents of self-harm on Manus and in Port Moresby to well over 30, since the federal election on 18 May.

Two people who attempted suicide on Manus were transferred from Manus to Port Moresby last week. Meanwhile the local Lorengau hospital on Manus Island, has sent all suicide and self-harm victims back to their respective refugee compounds because they needed the beds for local patients. Two suicidal guys are in Shamrock compound.

There is no care or supervision in either the refugee camps or Shamrock (a low-level security compound), where one refugee attempted to hang himself last week.

“The situation on Manus continues to spiral downwards,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, “Yet the government has no resettlement plan for those illegally held on Manus for almost six years.”

“The Australian government continues to persecute people that have been found to be owed international protection. Only 40 people have been transferred from Manus and Nauru for medical treament since the Medevac Bill became law in February. There is an urgent need for the medical transfer of all those who are at risk on Manus and Nauru.”

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