'We can only hope for the best possible outcome ... It is of grave concern that this person would resort to such an extreme act of self-harm," he said. Refugees at Nauru wear t-shirts with Omid Masoumali's name as a show of solidarity. He expressed anger at advocates and others "who are encouraging some of these people to behave in a certain way, believing that that pressure exerted on the Australian Government will see a change in our policy in relation to our border protection measures". "These behaviours have intensified in recent times and as we see, they have turned to extreme acts with terrible consequences," Mr Dutton said. "Advocates who proclaim to represent and support the interests of refugees and asylum seekers must frankly hear a clear message ... their activities and these behaviours must end."

Mr Dutton repeated his government's insistence that alleviating the plight of those at Nauru and Manus Island would inevitably lead to a flood of asylum seeker boats, saying: "No action [that] advocates or those in regional processing countries take will cause the government to deviate from its course. We are not going to allow people to drown at sea again." Melburnians protest over treatment of refugees, after the death of Omid. Credit:Chris Hopkins Asked whether he believed self-harming refugees were mentally ill and desperate, rather than acting at the behest of advocates, Mr Dutton said they had "paid thousands of dollars to people smugglers to come to Australia and they haven't arrived in Australia. They are frustrated by that, I can understand that". The Turnbull government has refused to allow those in offshore detention to travel to Australia, and is under intense pressure to find a third country in which to resettle them. The second refugee to set themselves on fire in recent days.

Very few refugees have taken up the option of resettlement in Cambodia - a policy which has cost the government $55 million and is widely considered a failure. The Cambodia option is only open to Nauru refugees. The Papua New Guinea government has recently said the Manus Island detention centre would close, and it would invite refugees to stay in that country only if they did so voluntarily. However Mr Dutton said having fled their country of origin and been offered protection, refugees "can't then say 'we're not happy with the fact we have been able to seek refuge here, we want to go to another destination', in this case our country". "That is not the way this country operates its border protection system ... the arrangement is people can live within PNG," he said. The second self-immolation has sparked renewed criticism of the Turnbull government's handling of offshore detention.

The young woman on Monday night received treatment at the Republic of Nauru Hospital. It is understood she was due to arrive at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital burns unit on Tuesday morning. Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said the woman was "badly burnt [and that] all her clothes have been burnt off." A former Australian teacher at Nauru, who once taught the victim, said she was "a kind woman, a good friend and would never harm anyone". "Hadon used to come to English classes at night because she was too shy to come in the normal day classes," said the former teacher, who did not wish to be named. "Gradually, in her gentle voice, she told us tragic pieces of her past in Somalia. She wanted to learn, she longed for a future."

Despite initial reports identifying her as 21, refugee advocates said she was just 19, and had come to Nauru when she was 16 or 17. They believe she was one of three refugees returned to Nauru last week after travelling to Australia for medical treatment, following head injuries suffered in a motorbike accident on the island. Mr Rintoul said she was forcefully removed from a Brisbane detention centre by the Australian Border Force in the early hours of the morning. He claimed those who knew the woman believed she had not yet fully recovered from the injury. "This is another self-harm attempt that is [Immigration Minister] Peter Dutton's responsibility," Mr Rintoul said. Unconfirmed social media reports on Tuesday suggested the woman was on suicide watch in the Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation centre before being removed and forced back to Nauru. The department has been asked to verify this.

Mr Dutton confirmed the woman had recently been in Australia for medical treatment but would not confirm she had previously tried to commit suicide. The incident follows the self-immolation of Mr Masoumali on Nauru last week. That incident occurred during a visit by UNHCR representatives to inspect conditions on the island. Mr Masoumali died in a Brisbane hospital on Friday, after waiting more than 24 hours for medical evacuation to Australia. Before setting himself alight, he is believed to have yelled, "This is how tired we are; this action will prove how exhausted we are. I cannot take it any more." There have also been reports that a 20-year-old Iranian man doused himself in petrol on Nauru over the weekend, but was restrained before setting himself alight.

Labor's immigration spokesman Richard Marles, whose party supports the principle of offshore processing, said the latest self-immolation report was "deeply distressing". "That this is the second incident of this kind to take place within a week is a clear sign there is something wrong with how the Australian government is managing its offshore processing network," he said. "The Turnbull government's policy, focused only on deterrence with no feasible pathway to permanent migration in a resettlement country is leaving people desperate and without hope." In a statement the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, said it was deeply saddened by the death of the Iranian refugee and was seeking more information about the latest incident. "There is no doubt that the current policy of offshore processing and prolonged detention is immensely harmful," it said.

"There are approximately 2000 very vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru. These people have already been through a great deal, many have fled war and persecution, some have already suffered trauma. "Despite efforts by the governments of Papua New Guinea and Nauru, arrangements in both countries have proved completely untenable." The UNHCR said the refugees and asylum seekers should immediately be moved to "humane conditions with adequate support and services". The government of Nauru said the woman was suffering critical injuries and on Monday night was being treated by four emergency doctors from Australia, including two anaesthetists. Emergency evacuation had been requested. "We are distressed that refugees are attempting such dreadful acts in order to attempt to influence the Australian government's immigration policies," it said in a statement, adding that refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru enjoy the same freedoms as local people "but have better facilities".

"Refugees and asylum seekers are not distressed due to their conditions. Their conditions are better than most other refugee camps across the world," the statement said. "These actions are purely and simply being taken because they believe that political protests will influence the Australian government and possibly help them gain entry to Australia." The Nauru government said refugee advocates, Australian politicians and human rights lawyers should "work with us in sending the message to refugees on Nauru that such drastic actions will not work, and to refrain from such protests". "Refugee advocates must stop giving refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru false hope and stirring up these protests. Nauru cares deeply about each person who is a part of our refugee community ... locals have reached out to them and continue to consider them as our friends and neighbours." The statement said that reports the Nauru Hospital provided substandard care to Omid "are totally false. The highest level of care was provided until the air ambulance arrived."

Greens immigration spokeswoman Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said there was "a tragedy unfolding on Nauru and we can't just stand by and watch". "This young woman has been driven to despair by her treatment on the island. Malcolm Turnbull needs to intervene. The situation on Nauru is spiralling dangerously out of control," she said. "I refuse to accept that this is the best we can do. There are not just the two options of dangerous boat journeys or people burning themselves to death. "There is a better way, where we process people's claims for asylum where they are and then bring them to Australia safely." - With Bianca Hall and Jorge Branco

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