Episode description

Abdul Aziz Muhamat and Michael Green on Manus Island — (Photo: Behrouz Boochani)

'Freedom is not free. You have to pay for it. And we pay; now we are paying for our freedoms.'

Just before Christmas of 2016, Aziz is transferred to Port Moresby for knee surgery. With better phone reception, Michael and Aziz share a long phone call in which they reflect on the year that’s ending, the holiday season and the months since they met face to face on Manus Island.

The change in Aziz’s circumstances is only temporary, but it’s still a change – and the call feels like a rare break in the clouds. But just two days later – on Christmas Day – Michael hears news that Aziz’s friend and fellow Sudanese detainee, Faysal Ishak Ahmed, has died.

Download a transcript of this episode here (Adobe PDF format).

• Abdul Aziz Muhamat

• Michael Green

Our theme music was composed by Raya Slavin. Music used in this episode includes ‘Passage’ by Oren Ambarchi, ‘We Let the “S” Hang in the Air’ by Brokeback, ‘Pulcinella’ by Kazumasa Hashimoto, ‘How Now (1968) for Piano’ by Philip Glass, ‘Meditation’ by Lori Scacco, ‘Waltz for Aidan’ by Mogwai, ‘Mandarinerna’ by Kim Hiorthøy, ‘Future Light’ by Nick Huggins, ‘Non Song’ by To Rococo Rot, ‘Momento’ by Murcof, ‘Initial Gesture Protraction’ by Tortoise, ‘Trace’ by Rhythm&Sound, ‘Under the Roof’ by Colleen and ‘I Found the End’ by Broadcast.

The Messenger is a co-production of Behind the Wire and the Wheeler Centre. It’s produced by Michael Green, André Dao, Hannah Reich and Bec Fary, with Jon Tjhia and Sophie Black at the Wheeler Centre.

Narration by Michael Green. With reporting by Abdul Aziz Muhamat. Additional fact checking by the Guardian's Ben Doherty; transcription by Claire McGregor, Carolyn Turner, Eugenia Zoubtchenko and many more​. This episode was edited and mixed by Bec Fary and Jon Tjhia.

Dana Affleck, Angelica Neville and Sienna Merope. Also to Behind the Wire’s many participants and volunteers. Behind the Wire is supported by the Bertha Foundation.

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