Vanuatu: Papuan’s fight against deportation order

Thursday, 5 October 2006, 4:45 am
Press Release: Radio New Zealand International

Papuan’s fight against deportation order in Vanuatu approaches final decision

The lawyer for a Papuan activist facing deportation from Vanuatu says government lawyers are having a hard time defending the order.

The Court is to rule on Papuan activist Andy Ayamiseba’s appeal case against his deportation order this Friday.

In April the Supreme Court upheld the government order to deport Mr Ayamiseba after the Minister for Internal Affairs ruled him a risk to national security in February.

The deportation order was made under a recent amendment to the Immigration Act, giving ministerial power to deport anyone without notice.

But Mr Ayamiseba’s lawyer, Felix Laumae Kabini, says that even the Court has agreed that the Minister is still obliged to give Mr Ayamiseba a chance to answer the allegations.

“All these guys, from the state law office, the government lawyers, they’re facing a difficult time trying to explain the rationale behind the minister’s decision. The clear question which they ask is if Andy is a danger to national security, why is he staying in Vanuatu without causing any harm to the security of this country.”

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