Let them go

December 19, 2017 Ruth Halbert

Dear Prime Minister,

Today's report from Refugee Action Coalition (Vic):

Today, local land owners blocked the road to East Lorengau Transit Centre in protest against ABF, IHMS, ICSA and JDA. One of the refugees who attempted to leave was threatened with a knife. All medical care, ability to buy medicine, buy food and all other services has been put on hold. The ill will the Australian government has generated in PNG has a long history. The Australian man who helped murder Reza Berati and all other Australian personnel involved in the assaults and attacks on people over the 17th and 18th of February 2014 have never faced justice. The three Australian guards allegedly drugged and gang raped a local employee in June 2015 were spirited away despite the request of local police to interview them. Local employees were/are paid a fraction that Australian employees were/are paid. The reputation of Manus has been tarnished by Australia’s detention regime. Despite the ruling of PNG courts that detention was illegal, Australia maintained the fiction that it was PNG’s responsibility to close the detention centre while simultaneously controlling any chance of third country resettlement. The Australian government not only holds refugees in contempt, they hold smaller or poorer countries such as PNG and Nauru in contempt and have shown themselves prepared to actively corrupt, destabilise and interfere in the democracies of our nearest neighbours.

Refugee Action Coalition (Vic)

Amnesty now for all asylum seekers and refugees detained on Nauru and Manus.