Letter from Manus

July 25, 2017 Ruth Halbert

Dear Prime Minister,
The United Nations high commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, has taken the unprecedented step of directly criticising Australia’s offshore detention of refugees. Australia has been shown to have lied in our negotiations with the USA over resettling refugees there. After four years of illegal detention and torture by Australia the men detained at Manus RPC and in East Lorengau are now in dire circumstances. They are Australia’s responsibility. What steps are you taking to end offshore detention immediately and bring all men, women and children on Manus Island and Nauru to Australia now? Please respond directly to the contents of the attached letter, signed by 586 men on Manus Island.

To the Australian government, the Labor Party, The Greens, the Independents and all who exert some power in Australia and to who are in some way involved in relation to the US deal concerning refugees on Manus Island. Please take this letter seriously before it is too late. We the refugees detained on Manus Island are giving you and ourselves the last the most sensible option for all. You gave us 159 days count down on detention prison camps notice boards that we have to leave this place and move to the transit centre and into the town of Lorengau on Manus Island. We know that the transit centre can only house 280 people and just mentioning the refugees alone we are 700+ not including the 50 that are already living in the transit centre. Your words are not true and we know this after four years’ experience. Almost all of the words you wrote on the notice paper is not true. You say there is medical services available but there is no medical facility in the transit centre. The local hospital in the town also can’t handle and treat their own people. Forget about refugees demanding their medical assistance. There is no safety and security for us in the town as we have experienced time and time again. We have been beaten up, robbed, humiliated and insulted by locals almost every single day. (END PAGE 1) We give you 159 days just like you have given us! In this 159 days you can find a safe country for us and send us out of this country directly from this detention prison hell or we are not moving anywhere. We are not going to fight and we are not going to cause any unrest. We are powerless and weak. Our souls and bodies are destroyed under your cruel regime of your of torture and trauma by your offshore detention. You have the army, the police and all of the necessary manpower and equipment. Bring them here and we will line up so you can shoot us to end our misery if you want to force us out. Please and we repeat again Please, do not scapegoat and use the argument that PNG is responsible for us. You are Australians, and we are not cattle. Australian citizens and the world are very well aware of this and they know that PNG will not drink a sip of water without Australia’s permission. You are funding this cruel inhumane system and your money is giving the orders here. From all of us on Manus who you are using as ununiformed soldiers to so called protect your borders. (END PAGE 2)

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End offshore detention now and bring all refugee children, men and women on Nauru and Manus Island to Australia.