Pamela Curr's comments on the Moss Report 20 March 2015

Pamela Curr's comments on the Moss Report 20 March 2015

Tomorrow both Government and opposition will hope that the Moss Report, released on Friday at 4pm on the same day that Malcolm Fraser died, is forgotten by media and public alike.

 After all a report detailing rape of women and sexual and physical abuse of children in a Camp run by staff contracted and paid for by Australia, is nothing to be proud of.

No doubt they will try to brush away any questions by stating that the Government has accepted the Recommendations of the Moss Report so everything is ok, fixed, lets move on, nothing to see here.

Please look at the recommendations and see if you think that they will do anything to improve the appalling lack of safety and security for women and children in the camps.

Nineteen recommendations calling for everyone to be nice to each other.

•   Nauruan Police to investigate complaints of abuse against children when there are NO CHILD PROTECTION LAWS in place

•   Both Australian Immigration and Nauruan officials to take into account the "personal safety and privacy" needs of people in the camp- hardly likely in shared communal tents

•   Forensic services in Nauruan police station!!

•   and so it goes on.

There is nothing in these recommendations which is going to change the current abuse endemic in the camps.

The background to the horror on Nauru is complex. Forcing vulnerable people into a closed society with its own identity crisis and struggle was never going to work.

Shoving pocketfuls of money into the pants of corrupt Nauruan officials will not quell the deep seated unrest and animosity of the Nauruans to a forced invasion.

The Australian government has done a deal to provide jobs in the camps to the local people whether they are qualified or trained to do these jobs or not.

The Locals are angry becasue they are paid $4 an hour to do what the flyin/ flyout Australians and New Zealanders are paid $40 per hour to do. The Nauru Government has pegged wages so that it can keep trained workers in Government services. Now that people are being released from the camp and given the right to work, they are competition to the local workers. This sets up anger in the community which has seen released refugees beaten, stoned and bashed. Some of these attackers are still working in the camp. The situation is not sustainable and is likely to result in tragedy for all concerned.

In the meantime vulnerable young women are subject to touching, assault, rape and fear in the camps. Children have been raped, assaulted and beaten. There was much which could not be covered in this report. What was not discussed was what happens to the husbands and fathers when they stand up for their wives and children. Police are brought in and they are taken to the Nauru lockup for weeks, leaving their families even more vulnerable.

These findings come from an investigation by former Minister Morrison's own Man, not a reviled Human Rights advocate.

What will it take for Australia to say no?

Please speak out- Dont let them get away with continuing this abuse. Nauru must be closed as must Manus.