PHNOM PENH Only one refugee among hundreds on the tiny Pacific island of Nauru has so far has agreed to resettle in impoverished Cambodia, a senior Cambodian official says.
The man is a Rohingya who fled Myanmar hoping to reach Australia.
"We have received only one volunteer - and our team is now working with our Australian counterparts," said General Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for Cambodia's Interior Ministry.
Australia's Immigration Minister Peter Dutton denied early this week Australian officials were struggling to convince refugees to take up Australia's offer to start a new life in Cambodia that includes cash payments of up to $15,000, accommodation, training and other support.
Cambodia is one of Asia's poorest nations with a poor record of human rights.
Mr Dutton has complained that refugees are being pressured by others on the island not to accept Australia's offer to relocate which has been criticised by Cambodia's opposition parties and human rights and refugee advocate groups.
Rohingya are a Muslim minority in Myanmar, which is also called Burma. They have been described by the United Nations as among the world's most persecuted people.
General Sopheak told Fairfax Media that officials from Australia and Nauru are still working together to find refugees who will to resettle in Cambodia.
He said Cambodian officials on the island were meeting with possible volunteers and reporting back to the Department of Immigration in Phnom Penh.
He told the Cambodia Daily the lone volunteer would stay on Nauru "until he gets the green light" after vetting by Cambodian officials who have been on the island this week.
"We do not know his background yet," said Kerm Sarin, who heads the refugee office at Cambodia's Interior Ministry.
"Once we have checked his background and health - and once we [know] that he has not committed any crimes and does not use drugs - then we will inform him that he can come to live in our country."
Cambodian officials said they did not know how long it would be before the man arrived in Cambodia.
Under Cambodia's agreement with Australia, Cambodia has the right to reject any refugees who agree to give up their hopes of reaching Australia and to resettle in Cambodia.
Australian officials on Nauru have been engaged in a hard-sell campaign to about 480 refugees on the island that critics say exaggerates conditions in Cambodia.
A recent United States report described violent crime in the country as being at a "critical level".
In a video message to refugees Mr Dutton told them that under no circumstances would they be able to live in Australia.
"Cambodia offers you safety, security and opportunity," he said. Mr Dutton also thanked "those" refugees who had agreed to resettlement in Cambodia, seemingly ignoring the fact that only one person had agreed.
Ian Rintoul, of the Refugee Action Coalition, said he believed Australia was also now trying to convince asylum-seekers still in detention to move to Cambodia due to a lack of interest from processed refugees living in Nauruan communities.
Australia's agreement with Cambodia specifies that only processed refugees will be given the resettlement option."I believe they are [trying to convince detained asylum-seekers].
That video [from Immigration Minister Peter Dutton] can only be shown in detention. There is no way to show it to the refugees," he said.
With Kevin Ponniah
The man is a Rohingya who fled Myanmar hoping to reach Australia.
"We have received only one volunteer - and our team is now working with our Australian counterparts," said General Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for Cambodia's Interior Ministry.
Australia's Immigration Minister Peter Dutton denied early this week Australian officials were struggling to convince refugees to take up Australia's offer to start a new life in Cambodia that includes cash payments of up to $15,000, accommodation, training and other support.
Cambodia is one of Asia's poorest nations with a poor record of human rights.
Mr Dutton has complained that refugees are being pressured by others on the island not to accept Australia's offer to relocate which has been criticised by Cambodia's opposition parties and human rights and refugee advocate groups.
Rohingya are a Muslim minority in Myanmar, which is also called Burma. They have been described by the United Nations as among the world's most persecuted people.
General Sopheak told Fairfax Media that officials from Australia and Nauru are still working together to find refugees who will to resettle in Cambodia.
He said Cambodian officials on the island were meeting with possible volunteers and reporting back to the Department of Immigration in Phnom Penh.
He told the Cambodia Daily the lone volunteer would stay on Nauru "until he gets the green light" after vetting by Cambodian officials who have been on the island this week.
"We do not know his background yet," said Kerm Sarin, who heads the refugee office at Cambodia's Interior Ministry.
"Once we have checked his background and health - and once we [know] that he has not committed any crimes and does not use drugs - then we will inform him that he can come to live in our country."
Cambodian officials said they did not know how long it would be before the man arrived in Cambodia.
Under Cambodia's agreement with Australia, Cambodia has the right to reject any refugees who agree to give up their hopes of reaching Australia and to resettle in Cambodia.
Australian officials on Nauru have been engaged in a hard-sell campaign to about 480 refugees on the island that critics say exaggerates conditions in Cambodia.
A recent United States report described violent crime in the country as being at a "critical level".
In a video message to refugees Mr Dutton told them that under no circumstances would they be able to live in Australia.
"Cambodia offers you safety, security and opportunity," he said. Mr Dutton also thanked "those" refugees who had agreed to resettlement in Cambodia, seemingly ignoring the fact that only one person had agreed.
Ian Rintoul, of the Refugee Action Coalition, said he believed Australia was also now trying to convince asylum-seekers still in detention to move to Cambodia due to a lack of interest from processed refugees living in Nauruan communities.
Australia's agreement with Cambodia specifies that only processed refugees will be given the resettlement option."I believe they are [trying to convince detained asylum-seekers].
That video [from Immigration Minister Peter Dutton] can only be shown in detention. There is no way to show it to the refugees," he said.
With Kevin Ponniah
A time may come when they don't get options if they all dig the heels in and refuse a decision will be made for them.
Posted by slickmelb on April 23, 2015 18:06
Editor Comment:
You mean, they could be packed into a boat and sent back? Or be boarded out with families in Toorak and the North Shore?