Transcript
The riot, sparked by poor food quality, followed another fight last month when barriers were erected around kitchens, slowing the serving of meals. A refugee from Iran, Amir Taghinia, says tension has been building in the centre as asylum seekers denied refugee status are repatriated and in some cases forcibly deported.
"Many people are saying it's about food and it's because of the quality of the food. Yes, the quality of the food is not good. Food distribution is not happening in a proper way, but the main thing is there is not a good atmosphere in the west area. There's so much tension in here. They are forcibly deporting people after four years. There's a very negative atmosphere in here."
As refugees and guards exchanged volleys of rocks and water bottles, the governments of PNG and Australia met in Port Moresby. On the table was the plan to resettle refugees in the United States, for which only 300 of about 600 eligible detainees were identified last week by the US department of Homeland Security. A refugee from Pakistan, Naseem Heidar, says it's clear to the detainees they won't all be going to America.
"If in these 300 people if someone is reject by Homeland Security, what will be happen with them? Does the government have any plan for them? What will happen with those guys who are a positive but still living in Manus Island and they didn't have any interview with America."
The PNG Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato says other countries may be sought to resettle the Manus men if America doesn't take them all. Should they not resettle them then obviously that's a challenge that Australia and Papua New Guinea will work together to resolve. In terms of either resettling them in PNG or those that have to be resettled in a third country which both Australia and Papua New Guinea will work together with. But no other third country resettlement options have been put forward, a fact not missed by Mr Taghinia.
"Australian government is saying they are not in talks with any other countries to resettle people. And there is always talk in the centre from the case managers, from the case workers, from the officers and many other people that, you're not going to go to America, this is not going to happen, this is just a game to keep you quiet for a while. The uncertainty in here is the most important thing that people are very angry about."
Mr Heidar is equally sceptical about the deal with the US.
"So when they are decide to sending people to the USA to resettle them, why is it taking so long time? Why it's not coming in the action? Because I never believed the America deal will become real. If it's come in the real they can't take all the people."
Twenty-six of the refugees have so far been settled in PNG, but violent conflict with local people on Manus Island has deterred others from wanting to stay. The detention centre is due to close at the end of October.
