'They've burnt all our stuff and forced us into buses', says a Punjabi detainee from Manus Island

Ravinder Singh has told SBS Punjabi just now he has been forcibly removed from Manus Island detention centre.

Manjit Singh (left) and Ravinder Singh (right) - the two Punjabi men detained at Manus Island detention centre

Manjit Singh (left) and Ravinder Singh (right) - the two Punjabi men detained at Manus Island detention centre Source: SBS Punjabi

" The Immigration people, police and Navy came in and beat us all up," he said.

"They put me in the bus by force, so now I'm at hill side". Ravinder estimates that around 20 people were forced into the bus along with him by the authorities earlier today.

"The worst thing is, they have burnt all of our stuff. They first broke everything down and then burnt it. I'm very very upset," he told SBS Punjabi, adding 'I'm still in trouble".

Ravinder Singh has been at the Manus Island detention centre since 2015, along with another Punjabi detainee Manjit Singh.

According to Ravinder, Manjit remains inside the Manus Island detention centre for now. 

Manjit told SBS Punjabi, "Its a terrible situation in here. Police, navy and immigration people kept abusing us all day. We were beaten up as well, and many people have been taken away forcibly."

"We are left with nothing now."

The two were in touch with SBS Punjabi yesterday as well, when Manjit had said, "Immigration people came again today and gave us a final warning to leave within 48 hours."

Ravinder had told SBS Punjabi, "It's pretty hard going for us, but we have no other choice. We're still drinking rain water and we're not allowed to get food from outside." 

'People who were sick still don't have any medicine and if they go to the city, then security doesn't let them come back to detention centre - they are made to stay at the hill side by force."
Police entering the immigration camp on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, Thursday Nov. 23, 2017
Police entering the immigration camp on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, Thursday Nov. 23, 2017 Source: Refugee Action Coaltion via AAP
Earlier during the day, it was reported that Police in Papua New Guinea had removed some of the men who have been refusing to leave the decommissioned detention centre on Manus Island.

 Witnesses have reported seeing several busloads of men driven from the centre.  

For three weeks, the men have been refusing to leave the centre which was shutdown on October 31.

They've argued that moving to new accommodation in the main town of Lorengau would put their safety at risk.

But the Australian Federal Government has been encouraging them to leave saying the new facilities are up and running. Prime Minister Turnbull said, "People on Manus should go to the places, alternative places of safety, all the facilities they need, they should do so peacefully and they should do so in accordance with the law directions of Papua New Guinea which is the country in which the centre is located." 

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By Manpreet K Singh

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