Refugees occupying the former detention centre on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island say they have cleaned wells polluted by PNG immigration officials.
A refugee carries well water in the Manus Island detention centre. Photo: Behrouz Boochani
About 400 refugees are refusing to leave the Australian funded camp which was closed two weeks ago, when water and power were cut.
Two wells dug by refugees in that time were contaminated by the staff with rubbish during two separate raids, in which rainwater stores were also destroyed.
Men now in two of the three other facilities set up to hold refugees on the island, have also reported water shortages.
The Kurdish journalist and refugee Behrouz Boochani said the reports showed the alternative facilities were not fit for occupation.
"So the Australian government is putting pressure on us to leave this prison camp and go to another prison camp that the condition is so harsh than this place. So we don't know where we can go," he said.
Mr Boochani said the refugees holding out in the centre wanted freedom in a safe country, and did not want to move from one prison to others.
He said two buses had been sent to the centre today to transport refugees choosing to move to the new facilities.
About 180 refugees had left the occupation during November, according to PNG Police.
Contruction of at West Lorengau Haus is ongoing. Photo: supplied
