"The Australian government and companies and corporations working in that offshore processing system also had a role to play, but that by no means absolves the Nauru government of responsibility."
Reopened in 2012 under the Gillard government, Australia's offshore processing centre on Nauru remains the single biggest source of income for the Pacific nation. His government accused the organisation of "conspiring against Nauru" after MSF called for all asylum seekers to be immediately evacuated over concerns for their wellbeing.
Human rights abuses were allegedly committed at Nauru's detention centres while Baron Waqa was president.While in office from 2013 until 2019, Mr Waqa was also accused of suppressing freedom of speech by banning Facebook, restricting the media and prosecuting citizens who spoke against his government.In a famous case known as the Nauru 19, a group of opposition MPs and their supporters were slapped with criminal charges after staging a protest outside Nauru's parliament house in 2015.
What standing do Kate Scheutze and Ian Rintoul have to criticise Mr Waqa? Are Kate and Ian Pasifika?