You are here: Home › News › 2013 › 07 › 25 › Nauru Riots Impacts Army S Work

Nauru riots impacts Army’s work

25 July 2013

Nauru Regional Processing Centre. (Photo courtesy of Department of Immigration and Citizenship)

 

The Salvation Army has offered counselling to its personnel stationed at Nauru, following the riots that broke out at the Nauru Regional Processing Centre on Friday 19 July.

Violent protests led to significant damage at the centre but all Salvation Army Humanitarian Mission Services personnel are safe, having been removed from the danger area before the protests escalated. 

HMS CEO, Sharon Callister, says The Salvation Army is continuing to provide welfare, emotional and spiritual support for asylum seekers at the centre: “We still have personnel in at the centre. Our personnel are passionate about what they do and were wanting to get back inside the centre as soon as it was safe to do so.”

Due to the significant damage to the centre, The Salvation Army and other service providers have had to scale back staffing levels, with many HMS personnel flying back to Australia. Counsellors from Salvos Counselling are making phone contact with each returned HMS staff member to check their welfare and to offer debriefing and counselling sessions.

“The Salvation Army team members in Nauru and those returning to Australia have been offered counselling,” says Sharon Callister. “As always, counselling is also available to the immediate families of any Salvation Army employee.

“Please pray for the asylum seekers, our dedicated staff, Humanitarian Mission Services and others working in the RPCs.”

The Salvation Army Humanitarian Mission Services has been providing welfare, emotional and spiritual support for asylum seekers in Nauru Regional Processing Centre since September 2012.

Comments

No comments yet - be the first.

Leave a Comment


- Will not be published

Email me follow-up comments

Note: Your comment requires approval before being published.

Default avatarWould you like to add a personal image? Visit gravatar.com to get your own free gravatar, a globally-recognized avatar. Once setup, your personal image will be attached every time you comment.

The Salvation Army acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures; and to elders both past and present.

The Salvation Army is committed to ensuring the provision of safe and inclusive environments for children, young people and vulnerable people where they feel respected, safe, valued and encouraged to reach their full potential. The Salvation Army is a child safe organisation.