Nowhere Line: What future for the Manus Island migrants?
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CafébabelBehrouz and Omar’s epic journey ends on Manus Island – a purgatory where they have no future. The stories of those fleeing violence and persecution converge on this Pacific Island. They hope to reach Australia, a country that is unlikely to ever welcome them. Nowhere Line: Voices from Manus Island is the new documentary from our partners at 99.media.
Manus Island hosts a migrant detention centre. Those who search for a better life, or a refuge from persecution, find their hopes are drowned in these seas. Often, people attempting the crossing to Australia drown with them. For those who survive, their future does not extend beyond the camp’s four walls. There's no chance of being accepted into Australia, and no option of returning home to face imprisonment or death. Yet things are not much better on Manus Island. After months of hardship and agonising waiting, the hatred of the locals and indifference of the guards have resulted in the violent beating of detainees.
Our partners at 99.media spoke to two of them by phone. Behrouz and Omar – whose names are changed for secutiry reasons – speak of a life of terror and violence spent in the camp. Nowhere Line: Voices from Manus Island tells the story of a hopeless future.
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Over the next few weeks, cafébabel will be showcasing documentary films produced by our partner, the multilingual video platform 99.media.
Translated from Voci da Manus Island: niente futuro per chi scappa