Political gain
Dear Prime Minister,
On Friday 10th November I was invited to speak, separately, to two journalists about Australia's offshore detention regime and the current crisis on Manus Island. During the interviews I spoke about how difficult it has been to have the issue reported on and scrutinised by the press. I asked the journalists what could be done when an official or politician tells an outright lie which contradicts all the evidence yet is unchallenged. They admitted that it made their job extremely difficult. Prime Minister, you have the power to discipline your Ministers if they betray their positions by acting illegally and lying. If you don't, you are complicit.
The men on Manus, who remain peaceful and self-disciplined despite witnessing PNG Immigration employees under the direction of Australian Border Force destroy their water storage and shade, understand the consequences of political lies. They experience the lies directly, in imprisonment, hunger, thirst, illness, injury and slander. Behrouz Boochani writes:
“What people in Australia are seeing in the recent photos by GetUp is the reality of Manus prison camp. These photos prove how Australia is violating human rights in Manus under the Australian people’s name. People all around the world will judge Australia by seeing these conditions in Manus. As a person who has been in this prison camp and witnessed so many abuses, so much humiliation, and the killing of innocent people, I would like to say that this is now a part of Australia and its reputation. It’s what Peter Dutton and others have done in Manus and I want to say that Dutton has been feeding the Australian people propaganda and using them for his political benefit. This man used his political position not for the people but for his own political aims. He spent about $10 billion to create these harsh conditions under Australia’s name. He is a liar and I am asking people to think about this policy not just because of the refugees but also because of the immoral political situation in Australia where governments are so willing to mislead their people for their own benefit. Also I want to add that no photos can ever show the full reality of Manus prison camp. The reality is the invisible impact on those people who have been forced into this torture and separated from their families in such cruel conditions for nearly five years.”
Evacuate all detainees on Manus Island, Port Moresby and Nauru and bring them to safety now.