Moginie & Moz

Mostafa ‘Moz’ Azimitabar, a refugee formerly detained on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island has recorded a song with Australian rock band Midnight Oil’s Jim Moginie.

Alike many refugees detained on Manus Island and Nauru, Moz developed health problems and was transferred to Australia in late 2019 for medical treatment, which he has yet to receive.

Moz is currently locked in the Mantra Hotel in Melbourne with 65 others on the third floor, which is a designated Alternative Place of Detention (APOD).

Love, composed by Moz on a guitar given to him at the Mantra Hotel by Cold Chisel’s Jimmy Barnes, was produced and mixed by Moginie. Moz sought permission to visit Moginie’s studio nearby but was denied.

“Many times, I asked the ABF (Australian Border Force) and Serco managers to take me to my friend’s studio that is a few minutes away from the Mantra hotel, but they rejected,” Moz revealed in an interview. “That is why I decided to record my demos with my phone. Because I didn’t have any better options.”

However, this means of creating music could be soon taken away, with the Australian government introducing legislation giving them the power to confiscate mobile phones from roughly 1400 people in immigration detention.

The government received criticism for introducing this bill during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting medical experts to protest for the release of immigration detainees to protect them from the virus.

Moz and other refugees took to a daily protest, demanding to be let go back into the community.

The Kurdish refugee previously released songs from the detention centre on Manus Island, where he was imprisoned in 2013 for seeking asylum in Australia.

His unique situation has attracted attention from many artists, including Emma O’Brien, a member of the Order Of Australia who produced his song All The Same, which was recorded in 2017. His song The Birds, released in 2018 is a collaboration with New Zealand artist Ruth Mundy.

Moz has gained sympathy from people Australia-wide, including the support of Darebin City Major Susan Rennie who offered to act as a guarantor for the studio visit.

“I’ve written Love for those who care for us, those who respect us, those who believe that we are all the same. I dedicate this song to all the amazing people who are standing up for us and fighting for our freedom.”

By Rida Babar