#StreamUpdate: A closer look at the stories we’re still following
Australia settles with former Manus detainees, FARC lays down their arms and the Central African Republic peace deal.
#Manus settlement
How will a multi-million-dollar payout impact Australia’s treatment of refugees?
The Australian government has agreed to pay US$53 million in compensation to nearly 2,000 refugees for physical and psychological injuries they say they suffered at the Manus Island detention centre. Activists are celebrating, but immigration officials say the settlement is not an admission of liability. In a statement, the Australian Immigration minister’s office “strongly refuted” the detainees’ claims and said the refugees will never be eligible to settle in Australia.
Under Australian law, anyone intercepted trying to reach the country by boat is sent to detention centres on Manus Island or the Pacific island of Nauru for processing. The alleged abuse took place between November 2012 and December 2014. Rights activists say the settlement is a step forward, but they remain concerned about the future of more than 1,000 people still in detention.
We’ll discuss the significance of the settlement and its potential impact on Australia’s remaining detainees.
FARC weapon handover
Colombia’s 53 years of war are nearly over. That’s if everything goes according to a United Nations-brokered plan. FARC rebels are handing over their weapons to UN observers in one of the final phases of the lengthy peace process. The UN says it has registered more than 7,000 firearms over the past few months, with at least one weapon per FARC member.
Once one of the wealthiest groups in the world due to drug trafficking and other illegal activities, the FARC is expected to make a turn towards politics in preparation for next year’s presidential elections. Former fighters are still struggling to find permanent housing and jobs and to transition to mainstream life. The war left more than more a quarter of a million people dead, with millions more displaced. Most of the victims were civilians.
With another step towards peace underway, what lies ahead for Colombians?
CAR peace deal
The government of the Central African Republic (CAR) has signed an “immediate ceasefire” with rebel groups aimed at ending violence that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Under the agreement, armed groups that stop their attacks will be given representation in the political arena. Their fighters will also be brought into the government’s armed forces. For more than four years, the country has been embroiled in inter-religious violence between Muslim Seleka rebels and the Christian Anti-Balaka militia.
Al Jazeera journalists Azad Essa and Sorin Furcoi recently returned from a 10-day reporting trip to CAR.
Joining The Stream:
Kon Karapanagiotidis @Kon__K
CEO and founder, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
asrc.org
Federico Hoyos @FedericoHoyos
House Representative for Antioquia
Azad Essa @azadessa
Journalist, Al Jazeera English
azadessa.com
Sorin Furcoi @furcoisorin
Photo Editor, Al Jazeera English
What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.