Amnesty International is warning companies servicing the Australian run refugee detention centre on Nauru that they are complicit in human rights abuse.
The international agency in a new report, 'Treasure I$land' says the main contractor on the island, the Spanish multi-national Ferrovial, through its subsidiary, Broadspectrum, has made millions, perhaps billions of dollars, out of running the camps.
Amnesty New Zealand's campaign director, Meg deRonde, told Don Wiseman that the Australian Government has created islands of despair on Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, but they have created 'islands of profit' for Ferrovial and Broadspectrum.
Photo: AFP
Transcript
MEG DeRONDE: Broadspectrum, through Ferrovial, are making millions and probably billions of dollars out of their contract, running an abusive and cruel system on Nauru and Manus. It is very hard to tell the exact figure but the Australian government estimates the contract over 3 years to be worth $AUD2.5 billion dollars.
DON WISEMAN: And that is about to finish isn't it. Is it likely that Ferrovial is going to seek to continue?
MDR: So Ferrovial have said they will pull out in October of 2017 but our message to them is that every month that they continue to operate the centre is another month with people suffering human rights abuses.
DW: If you are accusing them of being complicit in human rights abuses - how could that end up for them?
MDR: So we have notified Ferrovial and Broadspectrum that we consider them complicit in a system of torture, by operating on these two islands, and that under international law there are consequences for that and the people who are suffering the abuses are entitled to some type of recompense. for this. Both Ferrovial and Broadspectrum have provided justifications for why they are operating there but it clear that these island centres can no longer continue and corporations will be held accountable for their role in operating here.
DW: And is that something that an agency like Amnesty would pursue?
MDR: Amnesty International is watching this very closely. There has currently been a case taken to the International Criminal Court by a group of lawyers on these issues.
DW: As you say Ferrovial is pulling out. If there is money to be made there are going to be others waiting in the wings.
MDR: Well we see that very clearly profits cannot come before the human rights of people and that for any company looking to take up these contracts they need to understand that this is a discredited system that clearly breaks international law, and clearly abuses thousands of men, women and children. So for any company considering taking this up this will be a massive stain on their reputation.
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