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.

Raw sewage

Dear Prime Minister,

Once again the local Manusians have blockaded the West Haus and Hillside detention centres. Raw sewage from the centres is running downhill onto the Manusians' properties. The Manusians have had their land used against their wishes, have not been paid for the land, and now have sewage from the incomplete, dysfunctional buildings making them sick.

“The local people are complaining about the hygiene situation because it is making people sick. The new camps are very close to small villages and make the life hard for people there. It’s a problem created by the government and the government should take responsibility.
Manus Island has not a hospital with advance medical equipment and if people become sick there is not enough medical facility here to provide medical treatment for them.”
— Behrouz Boochani

Australia literally shits on the Papua New Guineans. And the refugees are punished again.

Ruth HalbertComment