Solidarity for West Papua
November 2007 This alert has four sections with information about:
Since 1963 West Papua has been occupied by the Indonesian armed forces. For the past forty-four years, the people of West Papua have been subjected to gross human rights violations including rape, torture, cultural genocide, murder and massacre - more than 100,000 West Papuans have been killed. More than 15,000 West Papuans are currently living in camps in Papua New Guinea; and others are forced to live in exile around the world because it is not safe for them to go home. Multi-national corporations in cahoots with the Indonesian authorities have exploited West Papua's natural resources to an extraordinary degree. This has caused massive social dislocation, devastation of rain forests, pollution of streams and rivers on which the local people depend for their survival, and serious human rights violations in areas of where multinationals are active. [1] There have been repeated ongoing calls from West Papuan leaders for dialogue to turn West Papua into a 'land of peace', but these have been ignored by the Indonesian authorities. The number of Indonesian troops deployed in West Papua continues to increase; earlier this year it was reported that there are plans to build up the troop presence along the border with Papua New Guinea, and to deploy a new third division of Indonesia's Kostrad (strategic reserve command) troops 'to patrol Papua border areas and other conflict-prone regions' [2]. It is estimated that the proportion of soldiers in West Papua is around one soldier for every 44 civilians. In June 2007, following an investigative mission in West Papua and Indonesia, the Special Representative of the Secretary General on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders stated:
"The Special Representative is deeply concerned by the testimonies that she has heard indicating the continuing activities of the police, the military and other security and intelligence agencies that are aimed at harassment and intimidation of defenders or to restrict their access to victims and to sites of human rights violations. TAPOL has reported that the level of intimidation against human rights defenders, political activists and religious leaders by military and intelligence personnel has increased markedly since the visit of the UN Special Representative. [4] As well as the direct violent repression by Indonesian armed forces, they are creating armed militias, similar to what they did in East Timor.
1 December is the anniversary of the 1961 West Papuan Declaration of Independence from Dutch colonial rule and is observed by people in West Papua and by solidarity groups around the world. In West Papua people mark the day in a variety of ways, including raising the 'Morning Star' (the West Papuan flag) - in previous years the Indonesian military and police have responded with increased violent oppression around this day, arresting and killing those they perceive as pro-independence activists. On 1 December 2004, among the West Papuans arrested were Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage who organised peaceful celebrations and raised the Morning Star flag in Jayapura. On 26 May 2005, an Indonesian court sentenced Philip to fifteen years imprisonment and Yusak to ten years. More information about West Papua, and what has happened on Independence Day in previous years, is available on the West Papua: the forgotten Pacific country web page.
You are invited to add your voice to those of people all around the world who are calling for justice, peace and self-determination for the people of West Papua; an ongoing initiative that was launched on 1 December 2004. If you would like your message included on the 'Messages of solidarity' web page please send your name, address*, occupation / position and organisation (optional), and message to Peace Movement Aotearoa [* only the town / city part of your address will be put on the web page, not your full address.] If you can help distribute 'Messages of solidarity' forms from stalls, or in newsletters or other mail outs, you can either follow the link on the web page to the printable form, or email Peace Movement Aotearoa with your postal address and a note saying how many forms you require, or if you would prefer us to send you the artwork so you can copy the form as needed. Thank you.
- Gathering in solidarity with the people of West Papua - join us to fly the 'Morning Star' flag, with the opportunity to write a personal message in support of justice, peace and self-determination for West Papua if you wish, 12.30pm in parliament grounds. Hosted this year by Green MP Nandor Tanczos; organised by Peace Movement Aotearoa, for more information contact email email.
- Flag raising: you are invited to join us for a symbolic flag raising outside the NZ Army Headquarters in Great North Rd prior to the seminar (see details below), meet at 2.30pm, corner of Great North and Ponsonby Roads by the peace mural. Organised by the Indonesia Human Rights Committee, for more information contact email. - 'Human Rights and ASEAN: West Papua, the Philippines, Burma and Aotearoa', a public seminar with speakers Keith Locke MP on ASEAN's Role, Naing Ko Ko on Burma, Dennis Maga on the Philippines, Maire Leadbeater on West Papua, and Cameron Walker on the spectre of terrorism in Aotearoa - drawing the parallels. From 3.30pm to 6pm, St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont St, Ponsonby; organised by the Indonesia Human Rights Committee, for more information contact email. A flyer for this event is available here. [1] See for example the section on the Grasberg / Freeport mine in Fanning the Flames: The role of British mining companies in conflict and the violation of human rights, War on Want, November 2007: 24-25 [2] Open briefing for Forum Leaders on Human Rights in West Papua, TAPOL, 9 October 2007 [3] Special Representative of the Secretary General on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders concludes visit to Indonesia, 12 June 2007 [4] TAPOL, October 2007, as above.
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About West Papua