More Lankans sent to Manus island

30 November 2012 02:14 am

A group of 28 mostly Sri Lankan and Iranian asylum seekers has landed on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island under federal government policy.

A second batch of asylum seekers has landed on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island as part of the Australian government's controversial border protection policy.

The group of 28 mostly Sri Lankan and Iranian asylum seekers landed on Manus island airport about 8.30am local time.

AAP understands there are children in the group.

Already 19 asylum seekers are being housed at a temporary processing facility on PNG's Lombrum naval base in Manus province.

Landowners have repeatedly threatened to protest against the re-establishment of the Howard-era detention facility amid demands for compensation for use of traditional land.

The latest arrivals on the tiny Pacific province, located two degrees south of the equator, comes amid reports detainees are self harming at another Australian-run processing centre on Nauru.

Local journalist and Manus resident Nick Solomon told AAP nine children were among the arrivals.

"They did not look stressed," he said.

"There was one Iranian man with a bandage on his head.

"They were loaded onto buses amid a heavy police presence. They were given boxes of food on the bus."

Between 64 and 75 members of PNG's mobile police squad are currently on Manus, following a blockade of the airport three weeks ago by angry landowners and provincial government officials.

Some groups on Manus are angry security firm G4S has been contracted to provide security for the site.

Amnesty International has heavily criticised the Australian government's Nauru facility.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen rejected the criticism, saying the human rights watchdog had preconceptions about the asylum-seeker policy.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison is expected to visit Nauru and Manus next week.

The Manus facility - currently a mostly temporary tent structure called Newtown by locals and guards alike - is expected to house up to 600 asylum seekers. (Source: World News Australia)