Ruth Halbert
artist, weaver
Paper boat Rud.jpg

Blog: Dear Prime Minister

On July 30 2016 I started writing letters to the Prime Minister of Australia to protest against the imprisonment and torture of the asylum seekers in the offshore detention centres of Manus Island and Nauru. I started with the intention of writing a letter a day for every person in detention until they are all freed. There are more than 1800 asylum seekers in off shore detention. These are those letters and any response from Mr Turnbull.

Your yellow tie was apt

Dear Prime Minister,

Today I took my protest directly to you at Albany. I saw you deliberately avert your eyes twice: as you left the ANZAC Centre and then later as you were driven away from the civic reception. This is what our banners say:

“Refugees are Welcome
End Offshore Detention”

and 

4 years
7 Dead
169 Kids
$5 Billion
Manus Nauru

Lest We Forget. Manus. Nauru.

Lest We Forget. Manus. Nauru.

Prime Minister, I have written you 368 letters and today driven 100km to see you in person. Yet you were too cowardly to even look at us, let alone speak with us. The people we have locked up illegally on Manus Island and Nauru are in dire need after 4 years of torture. Today cleaning and rubbish services were stopped at Manus detention centre. Power and water have been cut off. The men there are in immediate danger, entirely caused by Australia. Bring them all to Australia now.

politics, corruptionRuth HalbertManus Island, Nauru, Malcolm Turnbull, Australia's responsibilityComment