Nauruan Arrested Day After Death of Bangladesh Asylum Seeker

Nauruan Driver Arrested Day After Death of Bangladesh Asylum Seeker

The Nauruan driver of the vehicle involved in the death of a Bangladeshi asylum seeker on Nauru has been arrested. The exact charge is not known.

The Bangladeshi refugee who was riding a motor bike when he was killed on the Fly Camp Rd (called after the nearby Fly Camp for single men) on Nauru, yesterday (Thursday 9 November).

There were serious suspicions about the nature of the accident from the beginning because of the hasty way the scene was cleared of all evidence.

The vehicle driven by the Nauruan has not been seen since the accident so there could be no assessment of the accident based on the damage to the vehicle.

It seemed to be another example of Nauruans being treated very differently to refugees had there been a Nauruan killed in similar circumstances.

The news of the arrest has surprised the refugee population of the island. Reports from the island indicate that allegedly the motor-bike has been hit from behind.

The man’s death is being deeply felt on the island, not only because refugee lives seem so cheap, but also because he is one of the many separated families on Nauru.

He has been separated from his sibling who was taklen from Nauru to Australia since 2014.

“There is a cloud of suspicion surrounding this man’s death. There is little confidence that any asylum seeker or refugee gets justice from the Nauruan legal system, particularly when there is no transparency in the investigation,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.

“He is also a victim of offshore detention. His death add to the toll that offshore detention has taken on the lives of asylum seekers. He should never have been on Nauru. One more reason to close the camps.”

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