Manus Regional Processing Centre, Immigration detention facility on Los Negros Island, Papua New Guinea
The Manus Regional Processing Centre is an immigration detention facility on Los Negros Island in Papua New Guinea. Multiple buildings spread across the island are connected by concrete pathways and enclosed within security fencing.
The Australian government opened the facility in 2001 as part of its Pacific Solution policy to process asylum seekers arriving by boat. It became central to Australia's offshore detention strategy for nearly two decades.
The detention center became a focal point for international journalists, artists, and writers documenting the experiences of detained individuals through various media forms.
The facility was operated by multiple private security companies including G4S and Broadspectrum, with medical services available on-site. Access is highly restricted and the island has limited facilities and transportation connections.
The facility reached its peak occupancy in 2014 with roughly 1,200 detainees, making it the largest offshore detention center in the region at that time. This scale illustrated the enormous burden Australia's detention strategy placed on the small island and its community.
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