[Lasnetmail] Urgent Action for West Papua : (WPNA) WEST PAPUA EMERGENCY DEMO CANBERRA MARCH 25 - PLS FWD WIDELY

[Lucho]

There's been a lot in the news about occupied territories lately, the West Papuans have been engaged in rolling demonstrations across the entire province since March 3! 

Please register your concern with Stephen Smith (Aust Foreign Minister) or attend the demo at the Indonesian Embassy on March 25 in Canberra. 

Any support would be much appreciated. 

: from Aust West Papua Assoc (AWPA) - Sydney

There have been a number of demonstrations in West Papua in the last two
weeks with demonstrators protesting the failed autonomy package.

13 were arrested in Manokwari for carrying the West Papuan flag and although
two were released, 11 are still in custody. There is concern for their
safety.

Also church leaders have been intimidated at a church conference by police
and military personal in the highlands of West Papua.

We urge you to write to the Foreign Minister (along the lines below) about
your concern for the safety of those arrested.

------------ --------- ----
Contact details.
MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The Hon Stephen Smith MP
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Parliament House Contact
Tel: (02) 6277 7500
Fax: (02) 6273 4112
Email: Stephen.Smith. MP at aph.gov. au
<mailto:Stephen.Smith. MP at aph.gov. au>

------------ --------- --------

The Hon Stephen Smith MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra
ACT 2600

17 March 2007

Dear Mr Smith,

I am writing to you concerning the dangerously deteriorating situation in
West Papua. 

There have been a number of demonstrations by the West Papuan people in the
past two weeks protesting against the special autonomy law which they say
has failed and has brought no benefit to the West Papuan people.

At a demonstration on the 13 March in Manokwari, 13 people were arrested for
carrying the West Papuan National flag, The Morning Star. Two were later
released, however there is cause for the safety of the other 11 people held
in custody. They are, Yakobus Wanggai, Frans Kareth, Markus Solig Umpus, Edy
Ayorbaba, Daniel Sakwatorey, Marthinus Luther, Noak AP, George Risyard
Ayorbaba, (Amd T), Ariel Werimon, Leonardus Decky Bame and Silas Carlos
Teves May who is just 16 years old.

Also on the 13 March at the opening of a regional conference of Baptist
Churches in Magi, Jayawijaya regency in the Highlands of West Papua, the
Revd Socratez Sofyan Yoman and other delegates to the conference were
intimidated by armed soldiers.

The Revd Socratez Sofyan Yoman who is President of the Fellowship of West
Papuan Baptist Churches reported that the Magi regional Head of Police, the
Military Commander, the Head of District and the Post 756 Military Commander
came to the opening of the Church conference with five armed Indonesian
soldiers. They took photographs and walked amongst the delegates intimating
them.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of
human rights defenders, Ms Hina Jilani, recently visited West Papua and said
in a report on her mission to Indonesia ³that there is a climate of fear in
West Papua². 

Amnesty International (USA) in a press release/statement dated January 28,
2008 titled ³Suharto leaves violent legacy² also raised concerns about the
situation in West Papua.

Extract from AI statement
Amnesty International is still concerned about reports of human rights
violations in different parts of the country including in Papua, where there
have been reports of torture and extra-judicial executions by government
forces since the fall of Suharto. Peaceful supporters of independence have
been imprisoned and church and community leaders have recently been
threatened by members of the military. Two Papuans, whom Amnesty
International believes are prisoners of conscience, were given long prison
sentences for non-violent expression of their beliefs.

I am greatly concerned about the safety of those arrested and ask you to
use your good offices with the Indonesian government to urge the Indonesian
government to release not only those arrested on the 13 March but to
release all political prisoners as a sigh of good faith to the West Papuan
people.

The Indonesian military have also been known to use such incidents as
peaceful demonstrations to crack down on those groups they term separatists.
We also call on you to urge the Indonesian government to control their
security forces in the territory and halt their intimidation of peaceful
demonstrators and human rights defenders as a way of easing tensions and
avoiding possible bloodshed.

Yours sincerely




>From the West Papua National Authority: 


Subject: [AWPA-Australia] WEST PAPUA EMERGENCY DEMO CANBERRA MARCH 25 - PLS FWD WIDELY



Dear All,

MEDIA ALERT and CALL OUT - WEST PAPUA

REFERENDUM NOW! END THE REPRESSION!
INDONESIA, STOP THE KILLINGS!
INDONESIAN MILITARY OUT OF WEST PAPUA!
43 West Papuan Political Refugees call for
international protection in
West Papua

EMERGENCY ACTION, 12PM MARCH 25, INDONESIAN EMBASSY
CANBERRA
As the world’s attention is on the brutal repression
in Tibet, the same
story is happening in West Papua right now. For the
last few weeks in
many centres across West Papua, protests and
resistance have been
escalating against Indonesian repression of West
Papuan people and
culture. Since the beginning of March, peaceful
actions and rallies have
been held almost daily calling on the Indonesian
government to stop
killings and military operations against civilians,
and calling for
Referendum of West Papuan people as the only peaceful
solution to ongoing
human rights abuse. In an occupied Land less than 130
kilometres from
Australia, West Papuan students have been bravely
facing off heavily armed
military and ongoing intimidation by police,
intelligence and military to
protest their treatment, and have raised the banned
Morning Star Flag,
which has resulted in brutal treatment.

Many people have been arrested for defying Indonesian
genocidal rule, and
currently at least 16 political leaders are in prison
on Suharto era
charges of Rebellion and Subversion. We hold grave
fears for their safety
in prison, as they are at high risk of torture and
ill-treatment. Since
the peaceful assemblies on March 3, 6, and 13,
thousands of family members
of West Papuan political activists have been living
under intimidation and
terror, given the past record of repression and
killings of West Papuan
people. Currently, anyone who displays the Morning
Star flag is arrested
and interrogated, even Grandmothers making traditional
carry bags. We
have also received information that two key activists
are being hunted by
the Indonesian military currently, and are in hiding.

The solution posed by the international community,
Special Autonomy, has
failed through the direct sabotage and corruption of
Indonesian government
and military officers. The West Papuan people gave it
a chance to be
implemented, it failed, the Indonesian government
lied, so now West
Papuans want a Referendum. The Indonesian security
forces are out of
control, and will not stop until they have gained
total compliance. There
is legitimate concern that the Indonesian military
will seek to intensify
its actions against all West Papuans, and will be
arresting all people
involved in peaceful assembly.

That is why we need to call on the Australian
government, to help
facilitate or conduct Round Table Peace Talks between
West Papuan People
and the Indonesian government in Canberra or a neutral
country.

West Papuan People are calling on Australian’s of good
heart to stand
together to help bring international attention to the
repression and
killings inside, and for Indonesia to allow a
Referendum so West Papuans
can decide for themselves on their future.

Please join us ....in an emergency solidarity action
on 25 March in
Canberra outside the Indonesian Embassy, and also
delivering a letter to
Kevin Rudd’s government.

Where: Indonesian Embassy, 8 Darwin Avenue,
Yarralumla, Canberra
When: Tuesday March 25
Time: 12PM - 2PM.
REFERENDUM NOW! PAPUA MERDEKA!

For background media documents, and reports on the
current situation in
West Papua and individual cases please visit
www.manukoreri. net/west_ papua_upheaval and
www.freewestpapua. com

Ongoing information, please contact:
Herman Wainggai : 0401 301 520
Spokesperson for 43 Asylum Seekers & Ex Political
Prisoner

Dr Jacob Rumbiak
Australia, Mobile +61 (0)4313 88 976 or +61 (0)3 9510
2193
Co-ordinator, Foreign Affairs, West Papua National
Authority

For Media Co-ordination (not comment) please contact
Nick Chesterfield on
+61 (0) 409 268 978


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