- Papua New Guinea police reportedly used metal rods to beat refugees and asylum seekers at a former Australian detention center on Manus Island.
- The police were trying to clear the center after Australia abandoned it three weeks ago.
- More than 400 men had remained at the center.
Local police reportedly used metal poles to beat and force refugees and asylum seekers out of a former Australian detention center in Papua New Guinea on Friday.
PNG police confirmed to SBS News that 328 men were "moved out of the camp" but said "nobody was forced."
A video reportedly filmed at the centre on Friday morning showed guards hitting men with metal rods as they appear to be are dragged away.
Look Australia , that's what you people doing with us by using PNG hands.
— Walid Zazai (@ZazaiWalid) November 23, 2017
This isn't forcing? @PeterDutton_MP Look it's you who want to make violence, so u can blame us but we are peaceful, and will be peaceful until we get freedom in safe place.#ManusSOS#Saveus pic.twitter.com/yyGOIimjzR
The Iranian-Kurdish refugee and journalist Behrouz Boochani, who was detained during police action on Thursday, also reported on Twitter that men said they were beaten by police and were now leaving the detention center.
This morning police attacked the prison camp and the refugees are saying that they beat them. The refugees are going to leave the prison camp. So many are in the buses and are on the way to the new camps. pic.twitter.com/j5t1fSYxdB
— Behrouz Boochani (@BehrouzBoochani) November 23, 2017
Australian authorities left the processing centre, cutting off power and water, on October 31 after the PNG Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that it was illegal.
However, many of the men feared for their lives so had chosen not to relocate to other accommodation options.
On Thursday, local authorities entered the former detention center to try and move the men and there were reports authorities were being aggressive and threatening. PNG police told Fairfax Media that they would not be using force.
On Thursday, The United Nations Human Rights Council responded to allegations of brutality by Manus Island police, saying they were "troubled" by reports of police forcibly removing asylum seekers and refugees from the center.
"UNHCR has been given assurances that excessive for has not been used, but cannot independently confirm as staff have not been granted full access to the facilities," the statement read.
On Friday, Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed that "busloads" of the men were leaving after "complying with the lawful directions of the PNG authorities," and headed to other accommodations "as they should."
SEE ALSO: Why asylum seekers are still in an Australian detention center, even after Australia abandoned it
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source http://www.businessinsider.com/police-metal-rods-beat-refugees-manus-island-2017-11
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