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.

For the 166th man on Manus Island

Dear Prime Minister,

‘We came to Australia for seeking safety … We are not criminals’: a handwritten note from a detainee on Manus Island.Photograph: David T Young/Penny Ryan

‘We came to Australia for seeking safety … We are not criminals’: a handwritten note from a detainee on Manus Island.

Photograph: David T Young/Penny Ryan

This is a message from the 166th man on Manus Island to the Australian people:

“Hi Australians,
My name’s XXXX.
We came to Australia for seeking a safety. I want you to discover the truth by yourselves so we are not criminals. Do not listen to government. The politician used us as tools just they want to stay in power. We are human beings like you.”
— https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/gallery/2016/dec/07/we-are-still-suffering-detainees-on-manus-and-nauru-speak-in-pictures#img-26

Prime Minister, stop masquerading as a caricature of a politician who uses people as tools to stay in power and start acting like a morally responsible human being. End offshore detention and bring them here.

art, activismRuth HalbertManus Island, the confined hearts project, bringthemhereComment