Refugees without food

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By CHARLES MOI
THE remaining asylum seekers at the Manus regional processing centre have not eaten because water and food are no longer available at the site, Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani says.
“They are lying down or sitting,” Boochani told The National yesterday.
“Refugees are collecting rain water.”
He said about 600 asylum seekers were still refusing to leave the centre and would continue their peaceful protest over its closure and the decision to move them to two new camps.
They were advised by their lawyer Ben Lomai to remain at the centre while he sought a court order to have the supplies and services resumed.
“Immigration brought a bus to take refugees to Lorengau but the refugees are still refusing to go,” Boochani said.
“(Australian Foreign Affairs Minister) Julie Bishop should know the refugees want to go to Australia.
“The Manus prison camp is like a war zone.
“People are refugees again from this war.
“Immigration is saying it’s your choice.”
Boochani said a refugee who was mentally unstable cut his wrist and chest using a razor blade.
“The refugees are protesting peacefully. It’s Day 93 of their silent protests,” Boochani said.
“You cannot force people to live in PNG. The Australian and PNG governments are violating human rights.”
Lomai told The National that he had instructed the detainees to stay at the centre while he tried to get a court order.
But late yesterday, he was still waiting for the Supreme Court registry in Waigani to allocate a hearing date for his urgent applications.