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ABC News
ABC News
Politics
By Papua New Guinea correspondent Eric Tlozek

Manus Island asylum seekers demand water, power reconnection

Asylum seekers on Manus Island have protested about attempts to force them to move out of the Australian-funded detention centre.

A large group of men housed inside the centre gathered to demand Australian and Papua New Guinean authorities reconnect power and water to one of the main accommodation compounds.

They chanted "bring power back" and "we don't want PNG" before eventually dispersing.

Immigration authorities have told refugees inside the centre they must move into a so-called "transit centre" near the main town on Manus Island, while those men whose claims were rejected must leave PNG.

They said electricity, water and cleaning services will be progressively shut off and that PNG Police will deal with any asylum seekers or refugees "illegally occupying state property".

Sudanese refugee Abdul Aziz Adam said the refugees had demanded that Australia and Papua New Guinea abandon attempts to force the refugees to resettle in Papua New Guinea.

"We do not want your country, so do not force us to resettle in your country," he said.

Most of the 700 refugees on the island are refusing to move because they believe they are not safe in the PNG community.

The protest comes after two men were injured in machete attacks over the weekend, and the men inside the detention centre say they are being targeted when they go into the town.

A 27-year-old Sudanese refugee was attacked when men broke into a guesthouse in the main town of Lorengau.

In a separate incident, a 27-year-old Iranian asylum seeker was attacked and robbed on the street on Sunday morning.

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