However, the Australian government says it remains committed to offshore processing as a policy. It maintains an offshore detention centre in abeyance on the island, at an annual cost of $350m, which it says is "ready to receive and process any new unauthorised maritime arrivals".

Human rights and refugee advocacy groups have welcomed the end of offshore processing on Nauru, but said many of those held suffered irreparable damage in indefinite detention on the island.

"All my friends are so happy this week," Betelhem Tibebu, a human rights activist and refugee previously held on Nauru, said. "We don't have to lose any more friends, people don't have to get sick, no trauma, and no fear. Nauru, it killed us mentally, for us Nauru is hell, where we lost our lives."

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Fatemah, a 55-year old refugee woman, has been told there's an imminent risk of her sudden death because of her heart condition.

The medical treatment that Fatemah needs is not available on Nauru.

Australia approved her transfer but will not let her 16-year-old son accompany her.

Fatemah's son has experienced suicidal ideation and has never been apart from her.

Two years ago she was transferred to Darwin for treatment but was sent back to Nauru without any explanation or treatment.

A year and a half ago, Fatemah was transferred to Port Moresby but still did not access the treatment she needs.

Fatemah was asked if she had a message for Ardern.

"Me and the other refugees who are here stretch their hands towards you," she said.

"We want New Zealand to help us because we really need your help. Please do something before it's too late for us."

General practitioner Nick Martin was contracted by the Australian government through the company International Health and Medical Services to look after Fatemah and about 1000 other refugees on Nauru.

Fatemah refused to follow his advice to leave Nauru for treatment, Martin said.

"She was adamant, and I can't really blame her, that she would not leave her son behind."

He's pretty much all she's got in this world right now, and she was so distressed at the idea of leaving him that she said 'no I can't'," he said.

"It's a real kind of Sophie's Choice for that mum. I think it's a pretty inhumane thing to do to any mum to force her to leave her child.

"She couldn't guarantee his safety when he'd be left on his own. Certainly Nauru is not the kind of place you'd want to leave an unaccompanied teenager who is pretty vulnerable."

Source

• RNZ
• asrc.org.au
• Image: FaceBook

"We have blocked the website as it propagated and tried to influence Indian youth into joining IS.

"It had some traffic from India because of which we blocked it," said a senior ATS officer.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is special police force in several states of India including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar.

The Nauru website is one of three sites recently blocked by ATS.

One is a website associated with Robert Cerantonio, an Australian Islamist preacher.

He has been described by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) as one of two English-speaking "spiritual authorities" inspiring foreign fighters in Syria.

Cerantonio comes from an Irish-Catholic family.

He converted to Islam when he was 17.

The third link that has been blocked by the ATS is the 12th issue of Inspire Magazine, a mouthpiece of Al-Qaeda.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudharyhaudhary said IS was using various internet-based platforms to propagate its ideology.

"Intelligence and security agencies monitor the cyber space closely to identify potential recruits and keep them under surveillance and take further action, if necessary."

Source

• indianexpress.com
• hindustantimes.com
• Image:i.ytimg.com