At the time of UNHCR’s visit, families were accommodated in large vinyl marquees, with individual family areas separated by vinyl partitions. There were several families in each marquee. There was wooden flooring and ceiling fans. There was no air conditioning. .... UNHCR observed cramped conditions, with very little privacy, in very hot conditions, with some asylum-seekers sleeping on mattresses on the ground. Asylum-seekers expressed the following concerns about the living conditions: very cramped and hot conditions with no privacy; presence of rats (which the UNHCR team witnessed first-hand); the prevalence of family break-ups as a result of recriminations in relation to finding themselves in Nauru rather than Australia, with the men taking the blame for the transfers; insufficient water; and insufficient access to telephones and internet. UNHCR noted that the conditions at the RPC were harsh, with little natural shelter from the heat during the day, which is exacerbated by all the challenges arising from residing in a construction zone, including significant noise and dust, as well as the proximity to phosphate mining, which causes a high level of dust.
Posted on: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 10:59:22 +0000