Salvos fire back at radical claims

The Salvation Army have blasted claims asylum seekers in Nauru are restricted from using the internet, email, Facebook or Skype.

Earlier this month, members of the Refugee Action Coalition alleged refugees would be prevented from swapping allocated time among themselves or helping each other with the internet. Internet usage arrangements for asylum seekers in Nauru are provided by the Salvation Army.

Salvation Army CEO Sharon Callister said these claims “are not only wrong, but also go against the hard work our dedicated staff in Nauru are currently carrying out”.

“For the record, no asylum seeker is restricted from using the internet, email, Facebook or Skype,” she said. “The decision to review the internet policy was made at the request of a number of asylum seekers who approached the Salvation Army to come up with a fairer internet usage system. One that gives all involved a fair go.

“This policy is only a temporary measure, until a more equitable system is developed, which we anticipate will not be very far off. A committee of people comprising of the different groups in Nauru are currently working with the Salvation Army at coming to a mutually agreed system that benefits all those present, given [a] current lack of facilities.”

Refugee Action Coalition activist Feiyi Zhang criticised the Salvation Army at a protest on Friday, December 7.

“[The lack of internet facilities] does not explain why the Salvation Army are standing behind asylum seekers to watch what they are doing on the internet, or particularly policing one asylum seeker who has been posting on the Facebook Group, ‘Asylum Seekers on Nauru’,” she said.

Ms Callister countered:

“It should be noted that there is no single asylum seeker who speaks for the roughly 385 people in Nauru,” she said. “As you can appreciate, these people come from a variety of backgrounds and with diverse approaches in how to get their message across.”

“Claims The Salvation Army monitors and censors the asylum seekers internet usage is deceitful. At no stage, has any member of the Salvation Army attempted to control the internet use of any person within our care.”