13 refugees still remain in the country while 3 have been relocated to New Zealand while one has gone to France.
This has been confirmed by the Director of Immigration Nemani Vuniwaqa who says that the 13 refugees remaining in Fiji are being looked after by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees based in Canberra.
Vuniwaqa says the UNHCR is only assisting those who have been confirmed as refugees with monthly allowances and are liaising with the immigration department that this group of people are cared for.
He says these refugees are not living in the accommodation provided by the state or their department as they are fending for themselves.
Vuniwaqa adds that these refugees were asylum seekers when they arrived.
Once their claims were verified, they were given refugee ID cards to substantiate their identity.
He says with this refugee ID cards they can apply for work and once they attain the requirements of being a citizen they can apply for citizenship.
Vuniwaqa adds that under the international conventions, they should be considering issuing refugees with refugee passports.
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