Mark Isaacs

Migrant Caravan

At 3am, we jump on any truck that will take us closer to the border

The caravan moves in the early hours of the day: a seething mass of people.

Mark IsaacsNovember 9, 2018

Migrant Caravan

The mother of my children killed my auntie, that’s why I’m in the caravan

Vincent shares his tragic life story and the reasons why he left Honduras with his…

Mark IsaacsNovember 9, 2018

Migrant Caravan

Nothing short of the murder capital of the world, the Hondurans tell their story

While following the migrant caravan in Mexico, I joined a group of Hondurans on their…

Mark IsaacsNovember 8, 2018

Migrant Caravan

Following the Migrant Caravan

In October 2018, I set out to find the migrant caravan. These are my updates…

Mark IsaacsNovember 7, 2018

Migrant Caravan

The Migrant Caravan Explained

This is a brief introduction to the migrant caravan which is currently travelling through Mexico.

Mark IsaacsNovember 6, 2018

Australia's Pacific Solution Published Articles

Overland: Going inside the Manus Island Detention Centre

Step foot inside the Manus Island Detention centre in the midst of an international humanitarian…

Mark IsaacsDecember 22, 2017

Australia's Pacific Solution Published Articles

Berlin Literatur Festival: A Moonlight Tour of the Damned

An in-depth investigation into the humanitarian disaster unfolding on Manus Island.

Mark IsaacsDecember 11, 2017

Australia's Pacific Solution

What It’s Like Getting to Manus Island

A short blog about travelling to and around Manus Island.

Mark IsaacsNovember 29, 2017

Australia's Pacific Solution

A Poem from Manus

The face of evil is a white man.

Mark IsaacsNovember 19, 2017

Australia's Pacific Solution Published Articles

Sydney Morning Herald: Simmering tensions on Manus Island

"This was not the Manus people's decision. The refugees want to go to Australia. They…

Mark IsaacsNovember 18, 2017

The Octopus

UTS Alumni Community Award

The other day I was surprised and humbled to receive the 2017 UTS Community Alumni…

Mark IsaacsSeptember 29, 2017

Afghanistan Published Articles

Responsibility to Protect: Peace Talks

This is an excerpt from the Responsibility to Protect report published by the Edmund Rice…

Mark IsaacsSeptember 19, 2017

Australia's Pacific Solution Published Articles

Hardie Grant: The Undesirables Teachers’ Resource

A high school teachers' resource, commissioned by Hardie Grant, to study The Undesirables: Inside Nauru…

Mark IsaacsAugust 5, 2017

Afghanistan Published Articles

Responsibility to Protect: Political instability

This is an excerpt from the Responsibility to Protect report published by the Edmund Rice…

Mark IsaacsJuly 27, 2017

Australia's Pacific Solution

Nauru Burning Teachers’ Resource (English Subject)

A high school teachers' resource to study Nauru Burning as an English text. It is…

Mark IsaacsJuly 21, 2017

Afghanistan Published Articles

Responsibility to Protect: Security situation in Afghanistan

This is an excerpt from the Responsibility to Protect report published by the Edmund Rice…

Mark IsaacsJuly 18, 2017

Afghanistan Published Articles

Responsibility to Protect: The U.S.-led military invasion

This is an excerpt from the Responsibility to Protect report published by the Edmund Rice…

Mark IsaacsJuly 13, 2017

Afghanistan Published Articles

Edmund Rice Centre: The Responsibility to Protect

The Responsibility to Protect report is the continuation of the Edmund Rice Centre’s determination to…

Mark IsaacsJuly 10, 2017

Displaced People of Asia Series

Myanmar Military Targeting Ta’ang People

A statement from the Ta'ang Student Youth Union condemning the Myanmar Tatmadaw for their increasing…

Mark IsaacsJuly 3, 2017

Australia's Pacific Solution Published Articles

Nauru Burning Extract: The Dog Pound

This extract from my second book, Nauru Burning, describes the days after the 2013 riot…

Mark IsaacsFebruary 26, 2017

Displaced People of Asia Series

Photo Article of the Kashmir Valley

In 2015, I spent a week trekking through the Kashmir Valley. This is a photo…

Mark IsaacsFebruary 3, 2017

Australia's Pacific Solution Published Articles

The Guardian Australia: Excerpt from The Undesirables Second Edition (2016)

Hardie Grant Books has decided to launch a second edition of my book The Undesirables:…

Mark IsaacsDecember 28, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series

Six Years On, Post War Sri Lanka Part 3: A New Hope

In the third and final part of my Sri Lanka series, I examine why Tamils…

Mark IsaacsDecember 27, 2016

Australia's Pacific Solution Published Articles

The Vocal: Go Back To The Bible You Came From, Why Peter Dutton Is Wrong (2016)

Peter Dutton is sick and tired of “political correctness gone mad”, according to his interview…

Mark IsaacsDecember 21, 2016

Australia's Pacific Solution

Guest Post: Excerpt from the People Smuggler by Robin de Crespigny

This is an excerpt from Robin de Crespigny's award-winning book, The People Smuggler: The true…

Mark IsaacsDecember 20, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series

Six Years On, Post War Sri Lanka Part 2: The War Is Not Over

In 2015, six years after the end of the Sri Lankan civil war, I travelled…

Mark IsaacsDecember 11, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series

Six Years On, Post War Sri Lanka Part 1: Civil War Tension Remains

In July 2015, I visited Sri Lanka to find out why people were continuing to…

Mark IsaacsDecember 7, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series

Resumption of violence against the Rohingya people

Violence against the Rohingya people in the Rhakine state of Burma has resumed. I received…

Mark IsaacsNovember 27, 2016

Published Articles

Reading Australia: Just Macbeth! (2016)

This essay on Just Macbeth! was commissioned by Griffith Review and Copyright Agency for its…

Mark IsaacsNovember 22, 2016

Australia's Pacific Solution The Indonesia Project

Ali’s Story Part 5: The Struggle for Resettlement

Ali is a Hazara man from Afghanistan trying to seek asylum in Australia. In Part…

Mark IsaacsOctober 26, 2016

Australia's Pacific Solution

NOW AVAILABLE: Nauru Burning: An uprising and its aftermath

It is with great pleasure (and relief) that my book, Nauru Burning: An uprising and…

Mark IsaacsOctober 21, 2016

Australia's Pacific Solution The Indonesia Project

Ali’s Story Part 4: Boat Journeys, Arrests and Death

Ali is a Hazara man from Afghanistan trying to seek asylum in Australia. Part 4…

Mark IsaacsOctober 17, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series Projects

A Guide to Travelling Iran: Ethnic Discrimination in Ahvaz and Kermanshaw

There are numerous ethnic groups in Iran who claim discrimination and persecution at the hands…

Mark IsaacsSeptember 29, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series

A Guide to Travelling Iran: History and Culture in Persepolis and Shiraz

As I travel through Iran, I learn about the ancient Persian empires and the Sufi…

Mark IsaacsSeptember 26, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series Published Articles

World Policy Journal: Smoking Opium in the Islamic Republic of Iran (2016)

The Islamic Republic of Iran borders the world's principal area of opium production known as…

Mark IsaacsSeptember 15, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series

Stories from the Rohingya Camps in Bangladesh

In 2015, I visited the Rohingya refugee camps in the southern region of Bangladesh. My…

Mark IsaacsSeptember 5, 2016

Australia's Pacific Solution Published Articles

New Internationalist: It’s time to close Australia’s abusive detention regime (2016)

When faced with overwhelming evidence of systemic abuse, the Australian government shifted responsibility and blamed…

Mark IsaacsAugust 22, 2016

The Octopus

A Love Poem

A poem I wrote to commemorate two dear friends' commitment to love.

Mark IsaacsAugust 22, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series Projects

The Faces of Bangladesh: Part 2

Part 2 of my experiences in noisy, bustling, endearing, incredible Bangladesh where I met nomads,…

Mark IsaacsAugust 15, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series

The Faces of Bangladesh: Part 1

Dhaka is a corrugated city, a bell-ringing city, a rickshaw city; a Muslim city, a…

Mark IsaacsAugust 12, 2016

The Octopus

Normanhurst Boys Speech: How Does One "Make it"?

In December 2014, I was invited to address students at the end of year presentation…

Mark IsaacsJuly 14, 2016

The Octopus

Guest Post: The Unofficial Refugee Camp in Calais by Ali Reid

Ali Reid has been an advocate for refugees in Australia for the past 5 years,…

Mark IsaacsJune 26, 2016

Published Articles

Pacific Standard: Treating Cerebral Palsy in Rural Bangladesh (2016)

Dr. Gulam Khandaker is a Bengali-born, Sydney-based doctor attempting to witness and record the plight…

Mark IsaacsJune 21, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series Projects

TSYU: Their Greatest Battle Is For Education

This post brings my series on the Ta'ang people of Shan state, Burma to an…

Mark IsaacsJune 4, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series Projects

TSYU: Inside the Ta’ang Village Culture

I visit Numchang village in Shan state, Burma and get an insight into daily village…

Mark IsaacsJune 2, 2016

Australia's Pacific Solution Published Articles

Mamamia: How A Person Becomes a Whistleblower (2016)

The Refugee Council of Australia asked me to write a piece for their campaign against…

Mark IsaacsMay 27, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series

Ta’ang Students Youth Union: Internally Displaced People in Shan state

Many Ta'ang people have been displaced due to the violence in Shan state. I snuck…

Mark IsaacsMay 27, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series

Ta’ang Students and Youth Union: The Drug War in Shan State

Another source of conflict in the Shan state is opium cultivation. The local Ta'ang people…

Mark IsaacsMay 26, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series

Ta’ang Students and Youth Union: Military Occupation of the Shan state

There is a heavy military presence in Northern Shan State. According to the local Ta'ang…

Mark IsaacsMay 24, 2016

Displaced People of Asia Series

Ta’ang Students and Youth Union: Living With Conflict and Persecution

While travelling through Burma, I was asked by a friend to assist with the Ta'ang…

Mark IsaacsMay 22, 2016

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