Attempts to end blockade on PNG's Manus Island

10:23 am on 21 December 2017

A Manus Island refugee says a meeting has taken place in an attempt to end the blockade of the East Lorengau Transit Centre in Papua New Guinea.

The roadblock at the ELTC

The roadblock at the ELTC Photo: Refugee Shaminda Kanapathi

About 350 refugees exiled to the Papua New Guinea island by Australia reside in the transit centre.

Disgruntled land owners have been blocking the road to the facility since Monday, preventing service providers from entering.

The UN refugee agency said the roadblock stems from land owner opposition to Australia contracting the company JDA Wokman to provide services to refugees.

The Kurdish journalist and refugee Behrouz Boochani said a meeting was held in the Harbourside Hotel with land owners, JDA, the security company Paladin and the PNG immigration department.

Mr Boochani said food for the refugees was yesterday allowed to pass the blockade and locals also staged a protest yesterday outside the governor's office.