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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.

Letters to Tyranny #78

Dear Prime Minister,

On 11.10.2016 I wrote to you about Masoud Ali Sheikh, a refugee from Somalia incarcerated on Manus Island, who was attacked and wounded. Today Behrouz Boochani has reported that Masoud has not received proper medical attention in the detention centre, has been forcibly removed from IHMS (the medical centre) and has been told that he must attend the Lonengau hospital in town and pay for his treatment himself.

What a lie it was that 'JC' wrote in his letter to me on behalf of Minister Dutton (17.8.2016) that "All transferees at the Manus RPC receive clinically indicated health care ... open seven days per week ... staffing respond to any after-hours medical emergencies."

Australia has forced these men onto Manus Island. They are our responsibility. We are morally bound to care for and provide refuge for these people. Act now.

Bring them here

Ruth Halbert