News

Fiji needs policies on mass arrival of asylum seekers

September 30, 2015 2:00 am

The Immigration Department needs policies and procedures on how to accommodate and facilitate the mass arrival of boat people or asylum seekers.

Director Nemani Vuniwaqa says this is necessary for the border control agency to be up to par with its obligations.

‘We have to put in place (policies) on how we can accommodate them in terms of resources, medical care and education and so forth’’.

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He says no mass arrival are foreseen as yet – however that doesn’t mean Fiji can’t be prepared for such a scenario.

Vuniwaqa also says as a signatory to various international conventions including those on human rights, Fiji is obliged to treat asylum seekers with dignity and respect.