I have written this Poem for the Children held on Nauru. To give them a voice.

Australia imprisons all refugees arriving by sea, including children. Often they are held for years.

The illustrations featured in this post were drawn by children while being held on Nauru.

The conditions are not widely reported, especially in Australia. However a recent report published by Aljazeera quoted the number of detained children on Nauru at 50.

Medical personnel who treat the sick and traumatised are prevented by law from discussing any aspect of the conditions or abuse.

Without access to Australian law or legal representation they remain there indefinitely.

The United Nations has ruled that Australia’s indefinite detention of refugees is illegal, bipartisan Australian politicians have done nothing to address the UN concerns.

Children escaping any number of traumas and devastation are indefinitely imprisoned.

---

Nauru

Our home we hastily had left,
Though long ago I’m still bereft.

It wasn’t safe, She wasn’t strong,
I still can hear my mothers song.

Even when the air is still,
Her voice upon the wind does trill.

Daddy said we were not free,
We had to quickly pack and flee.

We walked so far along the way,
Walked so far but never stayed.

We hid in lots of scary places,
Dark and cold, so many faces.

Late some nights we had to run,
Hiding from the bright harsh sun.

We climbed aboard a crowded truck,
Then Daddy said, “We are in luck!”

At last we would get on a boat,
For days and days we’d hide and float.

He said if I was really good,
And hid bellow and never stood.

We’d drift towards a land of Eden,
And finally we’d live in freedom.

I hid below that deck so long,
So thirsty, but Dad said be strong.

So many other people too,
They say they only lost a few.

I could hardly breath enclosed down there,
So many people, such putrid air.

Daddy said I’ll be all right,
Just one more day, just hold on tight.

I clung to him and we both waited,
I watched as Daddy’s hopes deflated.

The orange boats stopped us at sea,
They brought us to this purgatory.

We didn’t make it to Australia,
They didn’t want to house a failure.

Freedom is a luxury,
Not afforded to the likes of me.

The land of Freedom says I cheated,
Refugees must be defeated.

Operation sovereign boarders,
Declared all refugees marauders.

I live in prison on Nauru,
Other children live here too.

Freedom’s only for the lucky,
It’s four years now that I’ve been stuck here.

The Honourable Mister Peter Dutton’s,
Hoping I will be forgotten.

Australia hear this cry of mine,
I’m scared and hurt and only nine.

---

All refugees including children arriving in Australia or Australian waters are deported to off shore detention centres in neighbouring countries of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Nauru is a tiny island nation in the Pacific. Australia pays them Millions to house their detention centres.

All images sourced from The Australian Broadcasting Corporation.