“Yes” ? … “No” ? … Who Knows ? … A Week Full of “Voices” …

Last week  … manic !  Flight to Aurukun with indigenous leader Noel Pearson, another long day flying back to Aurukun and on to Pormpuraaw and Doomadgee Cape York Peninsula with Bob Katter … and in between following ‘Yes’ campaign director Dean Parkin all around Cairns. 

As the ‘Indigenous Voice to Parliament’ referendum draws ever closer, campaigning is in full swing … and there has been regular arrivals of ‘campaigners’ from ‘down south’ flocking to the Far North (and more turning up later on this week.)

Pearson’s visit to Aurukun and Parkin’s in Cairns were covered for ‘The Australian’ (including a nice page 1) … and Katter in an epic three destination Cape York flights saga, was for Bob’s campaign.

These TEN images have been chosen from across the hundreds I made over a hectic week … and they are also featured (arguably better) on my Instagram account and may be found here … https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx94Gy6vP4C/

  1. Bubblegum Discovery – Aurukun with Katter
  2. Bob Katter plants an ‘illegal’ potato in Doomadgee
  3. Young child explores the cenotaph in Aurukun – with Katter
  4. Dawn Koondumbin (75) reads up on the ‘Voice’ – in Aurukun with Pearson
  5. Bob Katter checks vegetable & fruit prices in the Doomadgee shop
  6. Phyllis Yunkaporta with Sophera Kerindun – in Aurukun with Pearson
  7. Deserted swim pool in Pormpuraaw – with Katter (left)
  8. Noel Pearson meets Bertha Yunkaporta (91) – in Aurukun (right)
  9. ‘Yes’ campaign Director Dean Parkin in Cairns (left)
  10. Bob Katter flies back from Aurukun, Pormpuraaw and Doomadgee (right)

Poses the question … what am I going to do after the referendum 🙂 ? !

Images © Brian Cassey

Manus … Hell or Paradise …

Just returned from a relatively lengthy stint on Manus Island Papua New Guinea working on stories for News Ltd relating to the asylum seekers and PNG’s Supreme court decision … and how the decision and imminent ordered detention centre closure will effect the Manus Island locals.

The PNG court decision on the illegality of the detention of Australia’s asylum seekers has meant that many detainees have now been allowed to mingle freely with the wider Manus population … bringing new tensions and challenges to the tropical island.

I’m not going to delve into the depth of these stories by colleague journalist Peter Michael here … they have been published widely in News Ltd dailies and online.

However, I will say that the people of Manus are endearingly pleasant and most genuinely welcoming … just as they were during my last visit three years ago. A walk around means a constant procession of ‘Good Morning’, ‘Mornin’ or ‘Good Evening’ … and almost everyone wants to stop for a leisurely chat. It’s also just about the only place I’ve been to where … almost without exception … everyone really wants to have their photograph taken. Makes it so much harder to get the ‘candid’ images that I so much prefer.

Can’t say the same about some of the asylum seekers, however … although they did put forward some convincing and heart felt reasons why they did not wish to be photographed. ‘Detainees’ were for the most part pleasant but one could sense the monstrous frustration and desperation that they felt at this point in their forced detention.

In particular we spoke to two young men … from Iran and Iraq … who were just seventeen when they left their homelands to start life afresh three years ago. Both have entertained suicide and self harm … both appeared severely psychologically scarred. One went on a drink and drug fuelled bender while we were there which ended in him being arrested and beaten (see FB post here. I was almost arrested myself when I attempted to pass food and clothing to him in the Lorengau police jail.)

As well as images of the detainees I made many pics documenting the lifestyle of Manus Islanders … and I will roll these out on Facebook and Instagram under the title “Manus Island – Heaven & Hell” – and also work on a full pic essay for the web site. Below are just four of the images from the Manus visit … top is Iraqi asylum seeker Abdulatif in the Lorengau police cell following his arrest and beating … next is an image of locals landing a turtle that they captured whilst it was mating (the other was also captured … sort of two for one) … an image of a child on neighbouring Hawaii Island … and a serene scene of an outrigger fisherman off the PNG  coast.

To the question … Hell or Paradise ? Depends very much on who you are …

Images  © Brian Cassey 2016

 

Manus Island asylum seeker detention - Lorengau police cell - pic by Brian Cassey

Landin a turtle - Manus Island Papu New Guinea - pic by Brian Cassey

A young child on Hawaii Island, Manus Province PNG - by Brian Cassey

Fishing from an outrigger off the coast on Manus Island Papua New Guinea - pic by Brian Cassey

More Manus …

As flagged in the last post below, the ‘Courier Mail’ did, indeed, use my new images from  Manus Island Papua New Guinea in a ‘spread’ in Saturday’s print edition.

The entire essay is now also on the web site of my collective ‘fotostrada’ in ‘Latest Stories’ at … http://www.fotostrada.com/#/latest-stories/the-other-side-of-manus/ … also can still be found at ‘The Australian’ online here … and will soon be added to my personal website.

An image of the ‘Courier Mail’ spread is below …

All images © Brian Cassey

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