27 Jan 2015

Hunger strike ends in PNG's Manus Island

1:19 pm on 27 January 2015

A hunger strike on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island has ended, after a 13-day protest of Australia's immigration policies keeping asylum seekers locked up.

Asylum seekers during a hunger strike in Foxtrot Compound at the Manus Island detention centre.

Asylum seekers during a hunger strike in Foxtrot Compound at the Manus Island detention centre. Photo: AAP / Refugee Action Collective

Ian Rintoul, of the Refugee Action Coalition, says the asylum seekers in Mike compound should be eating again this evening, after they called off the protest, in reaction to security guards entering a nearby compound and making arrests.

Mr Rintoul says Wilsons Security had flown reinforcements to the island on Sunday afternoon, and began raids on the Foxtrot compound, herding asylum seekers into the gymnasium area.

Mr Rintoul says the Australian government must halt any plan to force refugees into temporary housing, and address the fact that there are no arrangements for safe resettlement in PNG.