The Australian government has deported two more men to Nauru as part of a controversial deal, sparking outrage from human rights advocates. Sources confirmed to Guardian Australia that a Sudanese national from Yongah Hill detention centre and another man were flown to the Pacific island last week, joining a third man believed to be Vietnamese.
The deportations involve individuals from the NZYQ cohort, a group of about 350 people whose visas were cancelled. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stated, 'If people have had their visas cancelled, we expect them to leave.' He previously estimated that between the 'high teens to 20s and beyond' had been re-detained before removal.
The $2.5 billion agreement between Australia and Nauru, expected to last 30 years, allows Australia to apply for long-term visas for the cohort. An initial $20 million is available for settlement, with $388 million placed in a sovereign trust fund co-governed by both nations. Details of the deal remain secret.
Critics condemned the lack of transparency. Ian Rintoul of Refugee Action Coalition Sydney accused the government of replacing 'indefinite detention in Australia' with 'indefinite detention on Nauru.' Ogy Simic from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre said deportations were happening 'under a veil of secrecy,' while lawyer Sarah Dale expressed fury over the 'cloak of darkness.'
Officials told a Senate hearing that those sent to Nauru could live freely in the community and would not be sent to another country where they face persecution. However, one member of the cohort, Adnan, described his experience as 'a nightmare,' saying he had been punished for past mistakes and could not keep rebuilding his life.
Nauru's President David Adeang defended the policy, stating the men had 'served their time' in Australian prisons and would live normal lives on the island. The first asylum seeker arrived under the deal earlier this year.
