Nauru Detention Centre

The Nauru Detention Centre means an institution of two refugee camps in the Pacific island nation of Nauru, run by the International Organisation for Migration ( IOM), in March 2006 under the Australian and nauruischer supervision. Both camps were located in Meneng: One, called the State House, was located on the site of the former residence of the President. The other, called Top Side, had been on the grounds of Menen Stadium and was closed in September 2004. In February 2008, has been resolved with the closing of the State House camp set up under the Pacific solution " established institution by the Australian Government in August 2012, she was however re-opened.

Prehistory

On August 27, 2001 Arne Rinnan rescued, the captain of the Norwegian freighter MS Tampa, 433 refugees from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Iran from a sinking ferry off Indonesia. Then steered the MS Tampa Christmas Island, an Australian territory outside on to temporarily put the refugees ashore. Before Christmas Island Australian troops boarded the freighter, and so prevented the application of the Flüchtlingssbootes in Flying Fish Cove, the main town of the island. This bypassed the Australian federal government, that the refugees enter Australian soil, which would have granted automatic right to asylum examination. Five days circumnavigated the MS Tampa Christmas Island.

The behavior of the Australian government sparked worldwide criticism. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan explained that this was no way to deal with refugees. The Norwegian Foreign Minister Thorbjorn Jagland accused Australia of undermining the Refugee Convention of the United Nations. On 2 September, the Australian Prime Minister John Howard announced the Pacific Solution (pacific solution) for the handling of the boat people: Rather than have them at Christmas Island on land that 433 refugees should be moved to New Zealand and Nauru.

Thus, the Commonwealth of Australia had scored on 4 September with the governments of the Pacific States involved an agreement to resolve the refugee drama: 283 refugees are received by Nauru and 150 of New Zealand. The President of the Republic of Nauru, Rene Harris, saw his state in a position to temporarily receive illegal immigrants. His people were hospitable, and for the establishment of temporary accommodation had already been found a place, he says. On Nauru also stood empty ten houses that should accommodate the participants in the World Championship in weightlifting actually, that was canceled in December 2000. On 20 September 2001, the 283 mainly Afghan refugees reached the island of Nauru and were placed in the two refugee camps. These came in the later stages add some Iraqis.

The refugees in Nauru

On April 10, 2002, around 250 Afghan asylum seekers were arrested after an escape attempt from a refugee camp and returned to the camp. Background of the riots were reports that only 7 of the 292 Afghan asylum seekers should be recognized as refugees under the United Nations.

Unrest along these lines could always pay the criticism that refugees would not be treated well. The Nauruan parliament Kieren Keke and David Adeang stress, however, the refugees would repeatedly receive hot meals and the best possible medical care daily. You could have even a higher standard of living than most Nauruans. Since January 2004, no Australian doctors are allowed to visit the refugee camps, this task the Nauruan few doctors accept headed by Kieren Keke.

In 2001, the vocational training center was burned down by Nauruan citizens to demonstrate against the refugee camp and the political actions of President René Harris. Nauru fall thereby negatively as a prison for unwanted asylum seekers. However Nauru for the attitude of the refugees from the owner of Australia is rewarded handsomely, and these payments are currently Nauru only financial income; without these payments, the infrastructure of the island nation could not function and Nauru would finally bankrupt. The number of refugees but steadily decreases, as now more and more refugees are recognized as legal.

In June 2004, attempted Australian human rights activists with the journey of some yachts, the Flotilla of Hope to attract attention in Australia to the refugees. Since it was a non- approved action, the yachts were a few hundred meters in front of the Nauruan coast asked to immediately leave the Nauruan waters. The yachts had gifts for the refugees on board, but that they could not leave. In September 2004, the Flotilla of Hope returned to Cairns, announced previously but further actions on.

On September 9, 2004 21 refugees were granted asylum in New Zealand. Therefore, the northern refugee camp at Top Side Menen Stadium was closed. The remaining approximately 90 refugees remained in the southern camp Statehouse in Meneng. In December 2004, allowed more refugees to immigrate to Australia, so that in 2005 about 40 refugees were left. On 22 June 2005 Australia granted the last family with children asylum.

In November 2005, the last group of refugees were granted asylum; remain the two Iraqis Mohammed Faisal and Mohammed Sagar, which according to an Australian expertise constitute a security risk and therefore did not receive asylum. Meanwhile, the cost of the Nauru Detention Centre have increased sixfold since November 2005 Australian dollars from 150,000 to a million. In March 2006, the responsibility for the warehouse operation by the IOM to the Australian and Nauruan authorities was transferred.

Closure

After the defeat of Howard's against the elected in his place, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in November 2007, the remaining stock Statehouse was closed after the last Burmese and Sri Lankan refugees had been granted asylum in Australia in February 2008. This was tantamount to the end of the Pacific Solution.

Reopening

In August 2012, the Australian government decided to reintroduce the Pacific Solution, which also led to the reopening of the Nauru Detention Centre. In September 2012, the first people, 30 Sri Lankan refugees were taken to Nauru. For their accommodation a makeshift tent camp was established.

In July 2013 riots, when about 150 mostly Iranian asylum seeker wanted to break out of the cap. Several refugees and security personnel were injured, some buildings at the camp - site burned down.