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Police enter Manus Island detention centre and tell remaining men to leave

November 23, 2017

PNG police have entered the mothballed Manus Island detention centre and have reportedly given the remaining men an hour to leave.

Several asylum seekers have taken to Twitter describing high tension in the centre where more than 400 remain.

"The police, special forces, police squad are now in their hundreds, spreading through the prison camp and around the prison," Behrouz Boochani wrote.

"We are on high alert right now. We are under attack."

Mr Boochani said police were searching rooms and saying the men have an hour to move.

She said her offer of taking Manus Island refugees may not be welcome, but she saw a role with Manus Island to "assist Australia".

The reports come after twelve former Australians of the Year penned an open letter asking Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to immediately allow doctors access to asylum seekers in the facility.

The letter's signatories include Australians of the Year Rosie Batty, Ita Buttrose, Simone McKeon, Patrick McGorry, Mick Dodson, Tim Flannery, Fiona Wood, Fiona Stanley, Gustav Nossal, Peter Doherty, John Yu and Robert de Castella.

The group warns Australia's reputation on human rights is deteriorating because of the failure to meet the obligations of the UN Refugee Convention.

"We believe it is time to stop the unacceptable and internationally criticised treatment of the refugees on Manus Island, who, though innocent of any crime, have been incarcerated and now abandoned there," the letter says.

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