Behrouz Boochani was sent to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea (PNG) after arriving in Australian waters in 2013, under a government policy of arresting asylum seekers who arrived by boat.
Boochani was informed Thursday that he had been granted refugee status in New Zealand. The date is significant: it marks his 37th birthday and seven years since he was placed on a naval ship while trying to reach Australia.
“Now, exactly after seven years, this story for me is over. But of course my story is only part of this whole story,” he told CNN from Christchurch.
“It was a huge thing for me, because that made me feel stronger now and feel stable, feel like I can now be part of this society,” he said. “I have a place. So it was a great feeling.”
However, Boochani said its acceptance in New Zealand was difficult to fully enjoy.
“On the other hand, I always think of those people living in detention in Australia, in Port Moresby, in Nauru, which is really sad and it makes me angry,” he said, referring to the PNG capital and the small Pacific island. from Nauru, where other detainees were sent.
In a statement, New Zealand Immigration confirmed that Boochani had received refugee status. CNN has contacted the Australian Department of Home Affairs, which handles immigration in the country, for comment.
‘State-sanctioned hostage taking’
Boochani was detained on Manus Island after fleeing persecution in Iran in 2013.
The same year, the Australian government had announced that no asylum seeker arriving by ship would settle in the country. They have had the option to settle in Nauru or PNG, or to return to their home countries. Some have been accepted for resettlement in the United States, under an agreement reached with the former President of the United States, Barack Obama.
Canberra says his strict border protection policies are necessary to prevent deaths at sea from human traffickers, but human rights groups have criticized poor living conditions and the high incidence of mental health problems among detainees.
Boochani was granted limited Entry to New Zealand last November to speak at a literary festival in Christchurch. Upon arrival, she filed for protection.
‘A day for celebration’
Iranian-born New Zealand politician Golriz Ghahraman, the first refugee to become a member of parliament, welcomed Boochani in a tweet.
Amnesty International Executive Director Aotearoa New Zealand Meg de Ronde said it was “wonderful to hear that New Zealand is offering you freedom and the opportunity to rebuild your life here.”
“Today is a day of celebration. Today is the first day in Behrouz’s life that he is free,” he said. “His commitment to freedom for all other people caught in Australian detention is an example to us all.”
In June last year, UN human rights officials urged Australia to provide immediate medical assistance to more than 800 asylum seekers and migrants detained on the high seas after a series of suicide attempts.
There have been multiple cases of attempted suicide or self-harm on Manus Island, according to claims made by refugees and defenders, including Boochani. Human rights monitors like Amnesty International have reported “hellish” conditions, abuse and neglect.
New Zealand has offered to resettle 150 refugees each year from Australia’s offshore detention centers, but Australia has declined to accept the offer.
Human rights groups say the government’s fears are unfounded.
“It is time for Australia to accept New Zealand’s offer,” de Ronde said.
CNN’s Sandi Sidhu and Angus Watson contributed to this story.
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