HELP WEST PAPUA!
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news report
Wednesday June 12, 2002 14:10
by Ruairi - West Papua Support
Indonesian state terrorism in West Papua
Indonesian State Terrorism in West Papua continues with more arrests.....
Press Statement
State-Terrorism in West Papua still Continues:
The Arrest of Benny Wenda, S.Sos, Secretary-General of
Koteka Tribal Assembly is Illegal, Baseless and an Act
of Terror, before the Assassination of the Late
Ondofolo Dortheys Hiyo Eluay has not yet been
completely revealed and the killers brought to justice
Benny Wenda, the Secretary General and or Chair of
Koteka Tribal Assembly (Dewan Musyawarah Adat
Masyarakat Koteka - Demmak) was arrested on 08 June
2001, 01:00PM Papua Time (+9GMT) with three charges:
(1) He was behind the attack of Abepura Police Post on
06 December 2000, which resulted in the "Bloody
Abepura"; (2) He was accused as the organiser of
various meetings to attack military posts in West
Papua, and (3) He was charged for having to passports
with two nationalities (Papua New Guinea and
Indonesia).
He was taken by force, dragged with force, and tied
without showing any Letter of Order or telling him
why. He was treated fiercely and now he is detained at
the local Police Station.
Yesterday, 80 Demmak members visited the Police
Commander for Papua (Kapolda) and asked him to release
Benny as soon as possible but failed. Today, about 500
are peacefully gathering and occupying the Papua
Parliament Office (DPRD) and demanding the Indonesian
police to release the illegal and inhuman arrest.
While the assassination of the Late Papuan Leader and
Tribal Elder (Ondofolo) Dortheys Hiyo Eluay has been
denied by the Indonesian Government. Today the
President is visiting Vatican Holy Seat, John Pope II
to deny her sins over human beings in West Papua.
We urge the world leaders and human beings in this
planet earth to act proactively and preventively
before the next East Timor, Moluccas, Sambas, Posso
and Acheh Bloodbaths begin in West Papua soil. Since 4
June 2000, Papuan people, in our congress have
declared the independence movement in West Papua be
peaceful (non-violent), based on justifiable legal,
moral and democratic bases.
· Please phone the Papua Police and Army Commanders of
Indonesia in West Papua.
· Please urge the Office of the UN High Commission on
Human Rights to act right now to send and supervise
human rights situation in West Papua.
· Please urge NGOs and individuals as well as media to
come to West Papua to witness the bloodbaths beginning
soon.
Yours sincerely,
Sem Karoba (PDP EuroPress Desk)
Spokesperson of Demmak for International Community
=============================
Background Information
The arrest of Benny Wenda is inseparable to events in
1963-1969 (during decolonisation and recolonisation
period). West Papua was at first place assassinated by
the UN, the USA, the Netherlands and Indonesia by
passing the UN GA Resolution 2504 (XXIV) of 19
November 1969.
During Suharto's rule, estimated 300,000 Papuans have
been killed, disappeared and many more were raped,
tortured, and killed in various ways such as poisoning
of foods, water, etc.
Experience of the forceful arrests, tortures,
disappearances, and assassinations Papuan leaders are
not new here. In 1960s, many Papuan leaders were
killed, and some escaped and now they reside
permanently abroad (mostly in the Netherlands). In
1980s, Obeth Tabuni, Laurens Dloga, Arnold AP (in
April 1954) and Mecky Salossa were murdered by the
Indonesian army.
In 1996, Dr. Thomas W. Wainggai died after his food
was poisoned in Cipinang Prison, Jakarta in early
1996.
Last year, exactly two months after terrorist attack
on America, Tribal Elder (Ondofolo) and Papuan
Political Leader, Dortheys Hiyo Eluay was kidnapped
and assassinated by the Indonesian Special Forces
(Kopassus) on 11 November 2001. The investigation into
this mysterious and sadistic murder has not yet been
revealed transparently. E.U. Parliament passed a
motion asking the UN Secretary-General, UN High
Commission on Human Rights and the Indonesian
Government to take effective measures to bring the
conflicts to an end and to reveal the mystery. Papuan
leaders visited the Chair of House of Parliament
(DPR), Akbar Tandjung and the President, Megawati
Taufik Kiemas but they are not yet able to reveal the
names and identities of the killers and the motif of
the killing as well as "who" gave the order to kill
Theys.
One day before the arrest of Benny Wenda, Theys' grave
was burned down (vandalized) and the perpetrators are
not yet taken to be accountable.
(http://www.westpapua.net/news/02/06/06/080602-theys.htm)
Rumours and gossips of the Indonesian military
operations at all levels all over West Papua territory
terrify villagers here. Our rights to live as human
beings are already taken away. We are dead bodies
speaking to you, with a hope if you have humane ears
and hearts to listen to and to act for us.
Today, 10 June 2002, Megawati Taufik Kiemaas is
meeting John Pop II, in Rome to deny her sins to human
beings in West Papua, but on the same day, another
Papuan leader is arrested by the state-apparatus.
Expected Impacts of the Arrest
We are patient in enduring sufferings under the hands
of Indonesian military and or state-terrorism in West
Papua. However, since the murder of the late Ondofolo
Dortheys Hiyo Eluay, the situation here is changing.
1. People can react angrily and Indonesia
state-apparatus will respond fiercely as they normally
do here, and this will cause more bloodbaths here in
West Papua;
2. People in Timika and its vicinity will occupy PT
Freeport MacMoRan Gold and Copper Operation Sites and
demand the company to be responsible for gross
violations of human rights in West Papua since April
1967. We believe, Freeport supports the military
operations in West Papua.
3. Koteka People all over West Papua will occupy
peacefully the Local Parliament Buildings in their
territory until Benny is released. This will cause
more brutal actions by the Indonesian army and police
(the state-terrorist apparatus).
4. Indonesia will drop more troops into West Papua, in
addition to more than 5 battalions already in West
Papua, plus Jihad Troops, plus the Red-and-White
militia group.
5. Terrorist groups in Indonesia will have more rooms
to maneuver their games and claim their activities as
the power against separatist movement, even though
actually they are fighting a Jihad War.
To read more:
http://www.westpapua.net/news/02/06/080602-bwenda1.htm,
http://www.westpapua.net/news/02/06/080602-bwenda.htm
=====
Sem Karoba
Spokesperson for International Community
The AMP for Demmak and WestPaC
http://www.westpapua.org.uk or http://www.westpapua.net
E-mail: [email protected]
Mobile Phones:In Ireland: 087 631 7539
In Indonesia: +62(0)818255971
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Comments (5 of 5)
Jump To Comment: 5 4 3 2 1Oliver,
lot's happened. Sem toured the country. He met with many TDs and Senators,
spoke to the media, raised funds and did grassroots awareness work
through dozens of meetings, festivals and gigs.
He developed a committed network of West Papua supporters who have lobbyied
the Dail and the EU for West Papua support. Admittedly this has been
much in vein but there has been support from TDs such as
DICK SPRING (now ex.), O'CAOLAIN, HIGGINS,DES O MALLEY, DAVID ANDREWS and Senator Norris.
He also got support from the Joint Select committee for foreign affairs.
This is more than any other country has done!
The support network also raises funds which are used to fund Sem whilst he is in Indonesia.
These funds help get urgent news out of West Papua via www.westpapua.net and other services,
help pay for publications and the basics of food and travel for Sem.
He is now in hiding and under death threat due to the publication of his book on the assassination of West Papua's
independence leader 'Theys Eluay' last November.
It might not seem like much, but the work of West Papuan activists
in Ireland, Sem's supporters, West Papua action, and the rag tag network of politicians
and others has meant Indonesia has noticed that there is a little
country on the other end of the world called Ireland, who (for some reason) are prepared to
stand up and shout loud in support of a forgotten land.
In fact, it was Sem who initiated the last edition of the New Internationalist (widely respected and
massive global distribution) which is all about WEST PAPUA. check it out at http://www.newint.org and
notice the reference to 'Papuan Tribesman' in the editorial.
We need help and belief from people like you, as otherwise nothing will happen.
If you want I can sign you on to the list serv network or get you more info.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
MARGARET MEAD
Ruairi,
WEST PAPUA SUPPORT GROUP
[email protected]
I did not say that I did not care, I would have thought that was obvious from my original comment. I attended a meeting at which Sem Karoba spoke in Limerick. What happened after that?
NOTHING!!!!
I'll tell you who cares? The 1000s of people Sem Karoba (Papuan spokesperson) and other Papuan activists have met in Ireland.
Many of these activists have put their faith in us (yes, Ireland!!!), because they believe that we can possibly relate, understand and help due to our historical and cultural conflicts.
Possibly you're not one of these people who will understand or care, but believe me there are many of us who realise that the interconnectivity of conflict, problems and life is critical to our survival.
BP and Rio Tinto rape Papua of it's resources (for our luxuries) and the Japanese and others destroy the priceless and irreplaceable rainforest for cheap cardboard and packaging.
The earth dies, we die! That simple!
A revision course in Irish history might also help in linking Papua's problems to Ireland!
If ordinary people in Ireland or the rest of the rich countries didn't give a shite about suffering throughout the world then why do they give so much to charities. If people here don't care about West Papua then why did they care about nearby East Timor, maybe its because activists, eg Tom Hyland, got the information out to people about the genocide over there. I was in Timor and when I later travelled around Australia every Irish person I met knew about Timor while practically nobody else from other countries had even heard of the place. Its not that people in wealthy countries don't care,( thats just a demorilising line put out by the rich), people simply don't know what goes on in the 3rd world, if they did then the world would be a very different place
I sympathise with the people of West Papua but to be brutally frank, who the hell in Ireland is really interested.