Thoughts on the Asylum Seeker issue

By Matthew Vari

Sunday, July 28, 2013 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

The Sunday Chronicle took to the streets to ask ordinary Papua New Guineans in Port Moresby what their thoughts were regarding the deal, signed by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in the processing and eventual settlement of asylum seekers in PNG and the proposed benefits the country is to have as a result of it.

Kun Ramson, a sales and recovery officer at Moni Plus.

I think that the deal between the both PMs is good for us. It’s good for the economic activities that will come with it. At the same time they are looking for a place to live free from the problems they face back at their home countries, and as a part of the international community we can assist them.

However, many politicians were not happy with the decision- even us the people were caught by surprise when the deal was announced, at least they could have gone around to the wider community before making such a decision, to properly inform them as to why the deal would greatly benefit them. Doing that would have prevented all the anger and confusion that we are now seeing.

GevoMabonea public servant.

It is a win-win situation for us in terms of the financial gains we will get out of the arrangement and the infrastructure projects that come with it that we badly need. The other aspect would be the actual rationale of it, because it is very blunt in the media. You take the people from the boat- you take them straight from there and put them in Manus, where the actual documentation takes place to eventually have them resettled on the island on the rest of the country.

The catch is that there will be hundreds, perhaps thousands, and process to assess their refugee status takes time. Despite the incentives given to us for taking on the issue- the piling up human beings on Manus will be such that who is going to be responsible for their homes, food, jobs, while our people continue to suffer with the problems we have. We are going to be the losers in the end.

Dianne Waketsi, a reporter with FM100

I think it is good for the country because in the long run it will help our country. It is not our problem so we should not be too worried about the security, food costs, and housing. They will provide those things, with the only catch being their settlement in our country. I don’t see it as a problem; it is just because of what a few people are saying. At the end of the day when you look at it- if we are going to get funding just to get them over here and stay in Manus, than good on us.

Like what the PM said regarding more control over AusAid funding, which we never had before. The extra finances will greatly improve our basic needs in health, education, roads, and other. So in this way we are helping our people by allocated more resources to the sectors that really need it. They are just coming in to use our backyard, renting it you could say.

Matthew Matia student at the University of Papua New Guinea.

I think it is good to compensate us, however, in the long run it will be bad for us because they are foreigners and they tend to be more volatile in nature, which does not seat well with mutual respect we have for our many cultural groups. They may all be uneducated and once they get settled in they can get the word out for more of their people to make their way over to the doorstep of Australia.

Because things like hospitals, roads, and other infrastructure- we ourselves we have the money to provide those through the many resource projects that we have, we just have to allocate better and be more transparent at the highest levels. Rather than asking outside like we don’t want to sort out the many misappropriations occurring here, and we lack the adequate security capacity to keep them in check. So I am against it.

Viola Tandawho works with the Office of Bougainville Affairs

I do not think it is a good idea. If they bring all these people into Manus, and we know Manus and other provinces are feeling the effects of Climate Change and if a disaster occurs- are we going to move them into other provinces in PNG, or what is the next solution for us to keep them. Where will our own people homeless or affected by disasters be placed? Will they be given first preference to our own citizens?

The country is already over-populated. We’ve got no job opportunities for everyone. It is going to cause chaos. We could have more control over AusAid funds, but is that the best thing for us? Many questions haven’t been answer and we have already made a huge commitment that will affect the country.

A woman who wished not to be named

If the Australian government is willing to fund major projects for the country and more control of aid funding- than we should welcome it. The main thing is that the asylum seeker don’t want come here, the Australian government is using us as a deterrent destination- so the asylum seekers will now think twice about taking the trip.

So when they come here and they do not want to stay then we can ask them if or where they want to go next. If it is another country then our government can liaise with them to have transferred there. Because we win in the long run with improvements in our universities, law and order, funding, and level of health care.

Another man said

I would just say that I am against it, because we have enough problems here. Off course we are getting financial incentives out of the deal selling ourselves short, but we have people out here who don’t have homes sleeping in the streets, yet we are going to cover these people. I just think that we are selling the country short. It didn’t sound right the first time and still doesn’t sound right after the explanation.

The incentives sound good but I personally don’t like it. We are a dumping ground. Australians can’t take care of their problems. We have problems just trying to get a visa to travel down to Australia- yet they can get their rubbish and come dump it on us and we accept it with open arms. Our PM should have put demands for Australia to open their doors to enable us to travel freely down to visit family or go on holidays- without them having to look at our accounts, letters of support from Australia. Easy visa up and down, then we can call that a deal. We demanded nothing, but accepted whatever they wanted to give us.

Peter Kupul a secondary school teacher

Its good that we have an agreement within the region where issues are collectively address by member within the region. However, when you look at it, things are not planned accordingly. Proper plans were not put in place before the agreement was made. All necessary facilities to process and house them have not been properly organised. We are rushing to make something work that we have not properly assessed. The previous government and the current one have never said no to Australian requests. The decision was not a sovereign one. We just say yes whether it is good or bad.

Even though we are getting something out of it. When you look at it Australia always benefits more from these types of deals. They give and then they take a lot more.

Mathias Sully a lecturer at the Madang Teachers College

It all comes down to who is in charge, and the Prime Minister has the authority to make decisions for the people. That is why he is the PM. However, looking at it from an educator’s point of view- we still have our own problems, and we have to solve them first before we take on other people’s problems. 

My teachers college has been run down for years, and we badly need funds to renovate the place. My college is 50 years old. Even though universities have been given promises of improvement- what about the colleges. We have been neglected for so long. We’ve got to come down and serve our people first. We can be good Samaritans to other countries with the blessings that we have, but some of us are still trailing behind in terms of facilities. Since the government has already made a decision, these refugees will attend institutions just like mine.

Our own young ones will become foreigners in their own land.

Betty Aicarrah a nurse

As a health service provider I see that with the current issues we face with not enough nurses. The health system will have to cater for these new refugee arrivals. The incentives are good for the country, however, they must consider that many of our nurses are retiring and we need more training for our younger nurses and health workers, which should be included in the deal.

Christine Karowith the Police State Savings and Loans

I am against it because the thought of someone else being given priority over my fellow countrymen and women in regards to housing, job opportunities, and other necessities- that the people of this country struggle to obtain is something that does not sit well with me.