Demolition doesn't erase crime
Dear Prime Minister,
“The old prison camp that was closed on 23 Nov has been completely demolished. Some bulldozers are working there and have completely destroyed Mike, Delta, Oscar and Foxtrot compounds. There are only a few places that remain - P block which was built in the Second World War and was used to accommodate about 130 refugees for a year in 2013-14; and a few rooms in Foxtrot where the Sri Lankan refugees were living. Also some of the fences around Foxtrot are still standing but they are being demolished too. These parts of Manus prison that are being destroyed were officially known as “RPC1.” They are an important part of history and it’s unacceptable that they are being demolished because they should not be forgotten. There are many places on Manus with important heritage, like damaged ships from the Second World War, that the government is protecting. But they demolished Manus prison because they are also a part of it and don’t want the evidence to remain as part of the island’s history. You cannot wipe this history clean by destroying Manus prison camp.”