More than 100 asylum seekers on Manus Island have signed a handwritten letter to MP Clive Palmer, begging to be included in the government’s plans for temporary protection visas. Guardian Australia understands Palmer has received the letter.
The government has legislation before the parliament which would reintroduce temporary protection visas (TPVs), but they would not be available to people sent “offshore” to Manus or to Nauru.
The Manus asylum seekers see Clive Palmer, whose party has negotiated a deal with the government to pass the legislation through the Senate, as the key to getting them included in the new visa regime.
“Recently we have heard that there is a deal going on between your party and the Liberals. We want to beg you to do something [for] us, to include us in that [same] amnesty as our boatmates in CI (Christmas Island),” the men wrote.
The written plea hints at a desperation amongst detainees:
“We are tired of endless and hopeless life of Manus prison … we would like to request you to do us a big favour and let us know if there is no hope or any chance so that we can call an end to our indefinite limbo here because we are tired of living on this unfaithful earth.”
The letter is signed “Asylum seekers of Australia held in Manus”. More than 100 signatures are affixed to the letter.
There are currently 1,060 men held on the island.
The proposed reintroduction of TPVs has been controversial in Australia. Several studies have shown that TPV holders experience significant trauma by being forced to reapply regularly for a visa, and live in a state of chronic anticipatory stress out of fear they could be sent home at any time.
Former TPV holders have said uncertainty over their futures led to serious mental health problems and post-traumatic stress and stopped them from integrating in Australia.
In the eight years between 1999 and 2007, Australia granted 11,206 TPVs. 95% of those visa holders were ultimately granted permanent protection.
However, under the proposed new regime, a TPV will automatically forbid a refugee from ever applying for permanent protection.
Internationally, temporary protection is seen as an extraordinary step, usually taken only when there are massive unregulated flows of asylum seekers into a country. Almost every country routinely grants permanent protection to people found to be refugees.
Ian Rintoul, from the Refugee Action Coalition, said the government’s TPV legislation should be defeated in the parliament.
“The bill would give enormous powers to screen out asylum seekers’ applications and remove appeal rights. Temporary protection visas would leave the thousands of asylum seekers … in permanent limbo, denied family reunion and other rights for life. It would be a life sentence for them and their families despite being recognised as refugees needing protection.”
But asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus have told Guardian Australia they would prefer temporary protection to being held on the islands. They feel unfairly discriminated against because asylum seekers on Christmas Island – some of whom arrived in Australia on the same boat they did – have been told they are eligible for TPVs.
When the TPV announcement was made in September, a video was screened on Nauru featuring the immigration minister, Scott Morrison, who told the asylum seekers “you will not be transferred to Australia”. Instead, asylum seekers were told, they could choose to move to Cambodia, go home, or stay on Nauru. Detainees on the island immediately staged a series of long-running protests.
One refugee on Nauru wrote to Guardian Australia:
“Why is Scott Morrison sending us to Cambodia and those who are in Christmas Island get TPV? We are all the same and we came at one time in one boat. What kind of decision is he making? What kind of justice is he doing with us?”
Clive Palmer has been approached for comment.
