Manus Island detention centre rejects consignment of Freedom Foods

The company that runs the Australian detention centre on Manus island has rejected $30,000 worth of muesli bars made by Freedom Foods because of the bitter taste they might leave in the mouths of people detained there.

The Department of Border Protection and Immigration denied any involvement in the selection of the food, saying such decisions are left to service provider, Transfield, which runs the centre, and PNG authorities.

"The sourcing of food provided to transferees is a matter for the service provider and for the Papua New Guinea authorities responsible for the Manus Regional Processing Centre," the Department said in a statement.

Reports from earlier this month have suggested that around 14 inmates on Manus have sewn their lips together to protest their indefinite detention, with a further 700 participating in a hunger strike.

Living conditions in Australian detention centres have been strongly criticised by the UN and Human Rights Watch, which listed Australia alongside China, Syria and Cuba on a list of the world's worst human rights offenders.

The marketing manager for Sydney-based Freedom Foods, Rebecca Carson said it was a shame that the shipment was rejected.

"Certainly we are disappointed that people there don't get to enjoy our product," she said.

"I understand the bars will be distributed elsewhere, so they won't go to waste."
Source: ABC News Online
Author: Nick Alexander. Approving editor: Chloe Ross