from West Papua Media sources in Wewak, Papua New Guinea
December 11, 2012
Over one thousand civil society members from Wewak, East Sepik Province in Papua New Guinea, turned out on December 10 to support their wantoks across the border in a large and vibrant demonstration that brought the provincial capital to a standstill, local stringers from West Papua Media report.
The rally and festival, called to bring attention to human rights situation in neighbouring West Papua on International Human Rights Day, saw PNG government officials, security forces, church leaders and ordinary people march together calling on the PNG government to do more to stand up to Indonesia on the issue of West Papua, and for the sovereign rights of West Papua to be respected.
At around 9:00am the marchers gathered at Mongian Compound, about 500 metres from Wewak town market. A long-march started with less than hundred people but the numbers grew throughout the day. As the marchers approached Wewak town area around 10:00am,Wewak local time, the number had grown to one thousand people. The positive environment and support from the authorities and civil society motivated long-march organisers to do four laps around Wewak Town until midday.
One West Papuan observer told West Papua Media via phone conversation that the spontaneous support from the public was “amazing and unreal”. As further quoted “a lot of ordinary people and women who sell their food at Wewak town market left their goods and joined the march. They even donated money, food, drinks and various garden food to us (West Papuan asylum seekers).”
At around, 12:30pm, the streets of Wewak was covered with sea of people who called for basic human rights to be protected, but importantly echoing the aspirations of the sovereign right of West Papuan people, according to participants
The long-march finished at the new Police Station near Wewak Town Market, where various speakers addressed the crowd. Amongst the speakers were, Miss Sophie Mangai, President of Wewak Women’s Council, who led the long-march calling on those gathered to “lets all support our brothers and sisters from West Papua for their struggle for independence.”
“West Papuans are our brothers and sisters; we are one people; one ancestor; and one Melanesia in the Pacific. So we must drive out Indonesia from the land of West Papua,” said Miss Mangai.
Other Speakers included: Florence Parinjo (Wewak Women Council), Abraham Kareni, Jusuf Kambuaya and Daniel Waromi (West Papuan expatriates living in Wewak) and followed by other West Papuan asylum seekers.
PNG Media including NBC also covered the rally, interviewing many West Papuan and PNG people present.
According to rally organisers, the rally was fully endorsed by Sakien Sakawar (Police Border Commander), Mr. Francis Kemaken (Coordinator of Diocese of Caritas PNG/Oceania, and Patron of the Federated Republic of West Papua Branch-ESP Wewak PNG), 3. Miss Sophie Mangai (President of East Sepik Council of Women), and Jusuf Kambuaya (General Secretary, Federated Republic of West Papua Branch Office Wewak).
Informal festivities continued into the night, according to local sources.
West Papua Media
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- Indonesia cannot kill our spirit for freedom: West Papuan leader (westpapuamedia.info)
West Papua Media Alerts 
Brilliant, the rest of Melanesia must follow suit…………….SALUTE!!
Fantastic ‘grass roots’ support. The Melanesian Spearhead Group next ! Freedom !
Cool, about time but what is the government doing about it????
coll the of te west papua on country papua
no the of caountry the of papua and the soldiers
Dear M.Werigi.
Thank you very much for your short comment that the time has come for the Melanesians just across the colonial made border between WP and PNG to stop the Indonesian brutality in the PNG front door of West Papua.
Please let me address the question not first to the PNG Government but to our grass-root brothers and sister in villagers along the border from Wutung (in Vanimo) down to Weam (in Daru) in the south, to Arawa (in Bougainville) in the eastern tip of PNG, to Mount Hagen (in the Central Highlands), down to Kikori in the Gulf of Papua, from here we go up to Madang, along the coast we continue the campaign Bogia, Wewak, Aitape, back in Vanimo and then we jump to Kavieng (in New Ireland), sailing to Rabaul and Kimbe in New and West Britain, jump over to Lae and from here we walk down with the voices of all Melanesians in PNG to enter the doors of National Government in Port Moresby. If we do this then we can change the policy of the Government of PNG towards the Indonesian occupied West Papua.
If PNG can do this, our brothers and sisters in Solomon Islands and Fiji will follow. Melanesians in Vanuatu have done that and they are still in the front line for West Papua. If the Melanesians in whole Pacific do that then Australia and New Zealand will have no other choice except jump in and push the canoe ahead in this journey for freedom of West Papua.
Let’s start it from inside our own domestic family and then bring it to our village fellow, up to provinces and fly over to Moresby.
Now is the time to start working on this. Please read the news at http://www.pina.com.fj/index.php?p=pacnews&m=read&o=12453575574edfdcc10ba48f36a8bf that the leaders of Pacific Conference of Churches have called for West Papua’s Independence.
Greetings from my jail inside West Papua. [bernard_koibur, 21.01.2013]