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We Asked a Refugee About His Life on Manus Island

Detainees who are granted refugee status are now living in temporary housing, where they're able to look for work. An Iranian man named Reza Mollagholipour explains how this is going.

Reza (center), flanked by local PNG contractors who work at the transit facility. All photos by Reza Mollagholipour

In January, detainees who had been officially recognized as refugees on Manus Island were moved out of the detention center, and into temporary housing in the island's capital, Lorengau. This was part of an attempt to reduce numbers at the detention center numbers, but also a fledgling effort at allowing refugees to work in Papua New Guinea.

The new East Lorengau transit facility can house up to 290 refugees, and was built at a cost of $137 million [$95 million USD]. People staying there are free to move around the island by day, but have to be back onsite by 6PM. According to the Australian government, this setup gives refugees a whole lot more freedom, and essentially means they're able to become permanent residents of Papua New Guinea.

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To test this claim, we contacted an Iranian refugee named Reza Mollagholipour who lives at East Lorengau. We asked about his search for a job, and whether he feels like he's began a new, permanent life on the remote island.

VICE: Hi Reza, let's start in Iran. When and why did you leave?
I left on January 11, 2013. I was working as a civil engineer for a government-owned oil company but there was so much corruption. If you said anything bad about the company, it would land you in jail for a very long time. And I got myself in danger so I had to leave.

My wife was already in Australia, as she had made it before me to Christmas Island. So I thought I'd try my luck. I spent seven months in Indonesia and then I took a boat to Christmas Island. On Christmas Island we were told we would never come to Australia and I was sent to Manus Island. I arrived here on July 2, 2013 and spent 18 months in detention. My wife and I had to divorce because I would never make it to Australia and I just couldn't think about her anymore. It was very hard.

You were originally kept in the detention center. What were conditions like there?
Life in the detention center is terrible, I don't want anyone to experience that. Some of the detainees have spent so much time there they'd forget what a 'normal' life is. In my compound, each room was about 2.2 meters by 2.5 meters [7 feet by 8 feet] shared by four people. For the first seven or eight months there was no cleaning there and it became very dirty. Also I am sure people have mental health problems there. I know a few out here at East Lorengau have mental health problems, just because we have no future.

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Last year an Iranian man was killed during a riot. Did you know him?
Yes and I was very afraid. I never left my room during the riot but I heard people being beaten up outside. They were shouting, help me, help me! I just remember torches shining through the blinds and feeling scared. That man who died, Reza Barati, he was a nice guy and he was innocent. I met him before the riots and he was so polite—he would never hurt anybody.

That's so tragic. Are conditions at the new center any better?
The accommodation here is so much better. At the moment there are 44 people living here. The building is new and is divided into two and three bedroom apartments, each room with two beds. At the moment I have my own room, but if more people leave the detention center and come to East Lorengau, I'll share a room.

Can you walk me through your average day?
I usually wake up at about 8AM but a lot of my friends sleep in until midday. I used to go into Lorengau town, but not anymore. Now I prefer to stay in my room and spend my time reading and studying. I'm just really trying to improve my situation here. Sometimes I go for a run in the afternoon. The majority of my friends, they like to go to town. It's about a 45-minute walk.

We're given food but we have to cook it ourselves. We usually cook together, split into two groups, vegetarian and those that eat meat. I've been getting lazy with cooking lately and I'm just eating a lot of eggs. We get some vegetables and 100 kina per week [$35 USD], which I use to buy phone credit and internet. Internet is very important to all of us, because it allows us to connect with our families, although it is expensive.

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Everyone has to be back at the facility by 6PM and I usually go to bed at about midnight. Often I lay awake though, thinking about my family, so I fall asleep about 2—3AM.

How is your family?
My dad and my sister are still in Iran. I told them that as soon as I have my travel documents and enough money, I would come to a country close by and visit. We talk a lot on the internet.

Can you work in Papua New Guinea?
I was told I could work in PNG if I become an official refugee. So I applied for documentation and then I was released, so I was very happy. Then all my time was spent applying for jobs and I got a civil engineer job with a company in Port Moresby. But PNG immigration wouldn't let me leave the island so now I'm stuck. I feel lied to.

Can you work on Manus?
There are no work opportunities here. It is a very small town; actually it's more like a village. Every one of us is unemployed.

Are the locals nice to you?
Yes, they're very nice but they don't understand English, so it's hard to communicate. It's just the immigration people who aren't nice. One of my refugee friends wanted to stay in the town center after curfew and they assaulted him. There are lots of different views and cultures squashed together here, and this has caused problems.

How do you feel about the Australian government's policy on stopping the boats?
I agree with their policy. I am happy it is stopping the smugglers from trafficking people, because all they care about is money. But what I'm not happy about is that we're the ones being punished. And for some of us, we had no choice but to leave our countries.

I believe that an agreement should be established between the government of PNG and Australia, to help settle us. The PNG government doesn't know what to do with us and there is no end in sight. At the moment, there is no future for anyone here.

Thank you, Reza.
Thanks.