Papua New Guinea officials pressure over 300 refugees to leave camp

Papua New Guinea authorities ratcheted up pressure on more than 300 asylum seekers to abandon a decommissioned immigration camp on Thursday. Refugees reported that their shelters, beds and other belongings have been destroyed, AP said. Police Chief Superintendent Dominic Kakas said 90 police and immigration officials entered the Manus Island camp on Thursday morning. They reportedly managed to persuade 35 of the 378 men to leave for alterative accommodation in the nearby town of Lorengau. “There’s no raid. It’s an ongoing negotiation with the refugees,” Kakas said. Water, power and food supplies were discontinued when the Manus camp officially closed on October 31.