Manus refugees could be building ‘a better Australia’
Port Moresby: Refugees who could be building a better Australia are having the best years of their lives wasted in detention on Manus Island, an artist says.
Dan Ilic, a satirical comedian from Australia, recently returned from Papua New Guinea where he filmed refugees for Doha Debates. The debates will address statelessness and the global refugee crisis later this year in Qatar. Mr Ilic said he was surprised by the resilience of some of the refugees after six years of detention, although others had lost hope.
“There are folks who never leave their room, who never leave their bunk and they are sodespondent, and they a reso angry, and they are so hurt by what is happening to them ,” he said.
“When I was on the island I saw two gentlemen who were in hospital who the local people say are on hunger strike. But what the refugees, who are their friends, say is that they aren’ t on strike. They have stopped eating and stopped consuming water because their brains have collapsed and they just cannot do anything.
“They are so despondent there is no ounce of hope left.” The co median had traveled to Man us on a tourist visa but was apprehended by police when they found him interviewing refugees.
“You won’t be able to get to Manus Island if you apply for a journalist’s visa,” Mr Ilic explained.
“Some of the footage had to be deleted. I managed to save one of the hard drives by putting it in my shoe,” he laughed. “Every one in PNG whil every officious in their work was also very kind. They did try to lock me up at the police station but unfortunately they couldn’ t find the keys so I just hung out with them in the office.” The comedian was escorted to the airport on Manus and interviewed by an immigration official on arrival in Port Moresby. His passport was seized but returned in time for his flight back to Australia the following day.
Mr Ilic said a lasting memory of his visit to Manus would be the strength of character of some of the refugees.