Asylum seekers terrified of further riots

Asylum seekers on Manus Island are standing guard at night and sleeping during the day, terrified of a repeat of the violent riot that resulted in the death of a young Iranian man.

The asylum seekers are "traumatised and afraid" after the riots in late February, a source at Manus Island told AAP through an Australian-based interpreter.

Most of the people housed in the two compounds that were attacked are "sleeping during the day and standing guard at night", the source said.

"They can't sleep and they're afraid it will happen again.

"They'll go to sleep around 4-5am."

Their fear is driven by what they saw during the riots.

Many people were seriously wounded and those who weren't saw their friends attacked by local guards, according to the source.

"The people who came out of their rooms were hurt the most," he said.

"Many people who were not attacked in their room gave away cigarettes and soda to save themselves."

"Local security used brutal methods."

The riots, during which 23-year-old Reza Berati was killed, came after several days of peaceful demonstration.

"One compound would ask 'What do you want? the other compound would answer 'freedom, freedom'," the source said.

"Some would toss things from their room over the fence."

After a couple of days, riot police arrived and "things went fine", but later that same day a Salvation Army worker told asylum seekers to be careful, worried things could soon escalate.

"It was at night the attacks happened," the source said.

"They went to sleep and in the middle of the night the power went out and they were attacked."

None of the asylum seekers feel secure about staying on Manus Island.

PNG's National Court is currently visiting Manus province, where it is expected to interview asylum seekers about their treatment as part of a month-long investigation into the riot.

Manus Island MP Ron Knight said all appeared calm at the camp and denied tensions were still rife.

"Everything is back to normal," he told AAP.

"They are out and about in buses on excursions. Calm is prevailing here."

He said a group of asylum seekers were taken on excursion from the centre on Tuesday and went for eye checks at a nearby hospital.

Meanwhile, the man who will investigate the riot for the Australian government is still trying to get to the island.

Former secretary of the Attorney-General's Department Robert Cornall is visiting Canberra on Tuesday to sort out logistics, visas and permit arrangements for his visit.

He wants to interview asylum seekers, staff from service providers and G4S guards but it "hasn't been resolved" whether immigration department officials will be present.

Mr Cornall rejected claims that staff may be too scared to speak freely about what happened, although it isn't clear when he'll head for the island.

Labor and the Greens are in negotiations to set up a Senate committee inquiry into the incident.

Comment from the immigration department is being sought.