Wilson Security, the security company that sub-contracted their services to the offshore detention centres on Nauru and Manus Island, have announced they won’t be renewing their contract in 2017.
In an online statement, the company said,
“In line with Broadspectrum’s future intentions Wilson Security can now confirm that it will also not tender for any further offshore detention services.The provision of security services at regional processing centres (RPCs) is not in line with Wilson Security’s long-term strategic priorities. Wilson Security will continue to deliver all aspects of its current contract with Broadspectrum until completion of the contract.”
While the company’s ‘long-term strategic priorities’ may well be the overruling factor in the decision-making, a major element would also have been the horrific allegations of guards committing acts of violence and sexual assault against detained refugees, which came to light in The Guardian‘s hugely important exposé ‘The Nauru Files‘.
Ever since, the company has faced severe backlash and protest from human rights groups.
Some of the files in the high-profile series included stories of guards assaulting refugees, and included allegations of them sexually assaulting women and children, and attacking and choking children.
‘The Nauru Files‘ also spoke of guards pressuring workers to downplay incident reports of self-harm and suicide, and alleged that senior officials had misled a Senate enquiry over the number of children who’d been sexually assaulted inside the centre.
There was also the horrifying story from mid-2015, when three Wilson guards allegedly drugged and gang-raped a local woman on Manus Island – they were flown out of Papua New Guinea before police could investigate.
The official statement obviously did not mention any of these things, but ended with, “Wilson Security has carried out its contractual obligations to the best of its ability and takes pride in its performance.”
The Australian company sub-contracted under Broadspectrum (formerly Transfield), who said in April that they would also not be renewing their contract.
Wilson stated above they’d complete their contract and finish at the same time as the major contractor, which will ultimately leave the Australian government without any contracted security body for the camps.
Source: The Guardian.
Photo: Ian Waldie / Getty Images.
