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Australia's 'shocking' offshore immigration regime inspires play staged in Iran Australia's 'shocking' offshore immigration regime inspires play staged in Iran
(about 9 hours later)
A Tehran playwright wants to bring her production, Manus, to Australia to help the outside world hear “the voices of refugees” held on the remote island.A Tehran playwright wants to bring her production, Manus, to Australia to help the outside world hear “the voices of refugees” held on the remote island.
Nazanin Sahamizadeh’s play follows the lives of seven Iranian men who flee – by various means – from Iran, seeking protection and freedom, only to wind up in the offshore detention centre run by Australia on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island. The play centres around their time on the island and their struggle to cope with the violence, indignities and privation of their indefinite detention, and the uncertainty over their futures.Nazanin Sahamizadeh’s play follows the lives of seven Iranian men who flee – by various means – from Iran, seeking protection and freedom, only to wind up in the offshore detention centre run by Australia on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island. The play centres around their time on the island and their struggle to cope with the violence, indignities and privation of their indefinite detention, and the uncertainty over their futures.
The seven-man production is in the middle of a two-month run at the Qashqai Hall of Tehran’s City Theatre complex and Sahamizadeh hopes to soon take it further afield.The seven-man production is in the middle of a two-month run at the Qashqai Hall of Tehran’s City Theatre complex and Sahamizadeh hopes to soon take it further afield.
“I wish, firstly, to perform it in Australia and then in other places in the world, to allow people to hear the voices of refugees,” she told the Guardian. “And I hope to create a movement towards closing Manus and Nauru camps as soon as possible and helping to free the refugees held there.”“I wish, firstly, to perform it in Australia and then in other places in the world, to allow people to hear the voices of refugees,” she told the Guardian. “And I hope to create a movement towards closing Manus and Nauru camps as soon as possible and helping to free the refugees held there.”
One of the lead characters is Kurdish Iranian refugee Behrouz Boochani, who has emerged as one of the most prominent advocates for the rights of refugees from inside the Manus detention centre. He and Nazanin were in almost daily contact as the play was being written and workshopped.
“We worked together for more than a year, I sent her information about what is happening in Manus, like the court news, the Australian election, the changes inside the detention centre, even when people attempted suicide. I was reporting almost every day. My role in this project was to take Nazanin into this prison by… describing life in Manus. It was important that Nazanin understood well how life is in Manus to tell the story in artistic language.
“When the play was ready Nazanin invited me to inaugurate the play,” Boochani told The Guardian. “That was an interesting moment... I went to beach and made a short speech to the actors and audience and read a part of my own writing about Manus prison and the concept of being a prisoner.”
Sahamizadeh said few people in Iran were aware of Australia’s offshore detention regime, despite Iranians being the largest cohort of detainees on both of Australia’s offshore islands.Sahamizadeh said few people in Iran were aware of Australia’s offshore detention regime, despite Iranians being the largest cohort of detainees on both of Australia’s offshore islands.
“There is no information about these camps at all in Iran and no news about the events and disasters that have been happened there,” she said. “Maybe just a few people have heard a brief headline of news.“There is no information about these camps at all in Iran and no news about the events and disasters that have been happened there,” she said. “Maybe just a few people have heard a brief headline of news.
“I thought only Reza Barati had been killed by camp authorities but others have also died in the camps.”“I thought only Reza Barati had been killed by camp authorities but others have also died in the camps.”
She said she had been stunned to learn of the detention centre on Manus – ruled “illegal and unconstitutional” by the supreme court more than 10 months ago – and that men had been held there for more than three years.She said she had been stunned to learn of the detention centre on Manus – ruled “illegal and unconstitutional” by the supreme court more than 10 months ago – and that men had been held there for more than three years.
“It is so tragic and shocking,” she said. “Because Australia is first-world country and a pretender [to uphold] human rights. But this behaviour with refugees and asylum seekers is completely against humanity.”“It is so tragic and shocking,” she said. “Because Australia is first-world country and a pretender [to uphold] human rights. But this behaviour with refugees and asylum seekers is completely against humanity.”
The play deals with violence in the island camps and the deterioration of the protagonists’ mental and physical health. But the show does not aim to preach, Sahamizadeh insisted.The play deals with violence in the island camps and the deterioration of the protagonists’ mental and physical health. But the show does not aim to preach, Sahamizadeh insisted.
“I’ve mostly tried to give audiences awareness and make them think, instead of giving them just message.”“I’ve mostly tried to give audiences awareness and make them think, instead of giving them just message.”
She said people brought, and left with, different attitudes towards the issue of irregular migration and of those who seek asylum.She said people brought, and left with, different attitudes towards the issue of irregular migration and of those who seek asylum.
“Some believe that refugees should not use illegal ways and government has right to deal with them but the majority are saying that these camps should be closed and government should not act like this.”“Some believe that refugees should not use illegal ways and government has right to deal with them but the majority are saying that these camps should be closed and government should not act like this.”
She said the play, despite its controversial subject matter – Iran’s theocratic regime is sensitive to the issue of its citizens fleeing to claim protection and refuses to accept failed asylum seekers forcibly returned to its territory – has not attracted the attention, nor opprobrium, of authorities.She said the play, despite its controversial subject matter – Iran’s theocratic regime is sensitive to the issue of its citizens fleeing to claim protection and refuses to accept failed asylum seekers forcibly returned to its territory – has not attracted the attention, nor opprobrium, of authorities.
“My play is a social show and not political and is for ordinary people and not authorities.”“My play is a social show and not political and is for ordinary people and not authorities.”
Hossein Babaahmadi, a former asylum seeker held on Manus who has since returned to Iran, spoke at a performance of the play, telling the audience he was still suffering from his time seeking asylum and in detention.Hossein Babaahmadi, a former asylum seeker held on Manus who has since returned to Iran, spoke at a performance of the play, telling the audience he was still suffering from his time seeking asylum and in detention.
“Only those who been through this can imagine this journey … every single moment of it was like death.”“Only those who been through this can imagine this journey … every single moment of it was like death.”