22-year-old Somali man an asylum seeker fears being killed

An asylum seeker detained on Manus Island has told a Papua New Guinea court he fears being killed, while another says transferees have to eat bread infested with worms.

The inquiry into whether asylum seekers' basic human rights are being tended to under the controversial border protection scheme has also heard an 'angry' Immigration Minister Scott Morrison had told them to not even dream about coming to Australia.

The inquiry, in its third day, has for the first time heard from asylum seekers detained at the centre.

One, a 22-year-old Somali man, told Justice David Cannings he lived in a constant state of fear following a fatal riot at the centre on February 17.

'What do you fear?' Justice Cannings asked.

'Many people, they will kill me,' the man said.

'Who?' Justice Cannings said.

'The people who killed Reza,' the man replied.

Iranian asylum seeker Reza Berati, 23, was killed following a clash between detainees, security personnel, police and locals on February 17.

Police have yet to make any arrests.

The man, who told the court he fled Somalia five years ago after being targeted for recruitment by terrorist network Al-Shabab, became upset when asked if he was given any indication of how long he'd stay at the centre.

'Every time I ask about the process, they say don't know, long time,' he said.

'I am not a criminal. Even if I was a criminal the court would sentence me for a certain time.'

Earlier, a 25-year-old Iraqi asylum seeker told the court that in his six months at the Australian-commissioned detention centre, he often had to pull apart bread to get rid of worms.

The man said 'an angry' Mr Morrison visited the centre and told asylum seekers not to dream about coming to Australia.

'Even in your dreams, you are not going to make it to Australia,' the court was told Mr Morrison said to asylum seekers.

The man, who told the court he left his wife and two children in Iraq after being targeted by a terrorist group, said toilets at the centre were a 'miserable situation'.

'Four days ago, because they had knowledge of the delegation coming to the camp, they started to clean,' he said.

Justice David Cannings, who is heading the inquiry, and a court-appointed party visited the centre on Tuesday.

Asked by public prosecutor Frazer Pitpit how he felt about coming to court, the asylum seeker said he felt human.

'For the first time I feel I am human. No one considered me an asylum seeker,' he said.

Another, a 30-year-old Afghan man, said he had no complaints about the food and only felt safe when he could see G4S guards.

Justice Cannings asked him if the court found his human rights had been breached, what order would he like it to make.

'Just freedom,' he said. 'Please, freedom.'

The man said he preferred Christmas Island to Manus. 'We could go out, go running, get exercise,' he said.

The hearings continue in Lorengau, the Manus Island capital.

Source: skynews.com.au