Thousands call for Referendum at grave of slain West Papuan hero

Photos courtesy of Yasons Sambon, KNPB

Sentani, West Papua, Monday August 2 2010 (West Papua Media Alerts)
Reports have been filtering from Sentani that over five thousand people have been gathering at the grave of slain West Papuan independence hero Chief Dorotheys (Theys) Eluay, continuing the unprecedented mass mobilisations calling for a return of Special Autonomy to Jakarta, and for internationally mediated dialogue and a referendum to determine West Papua’s future.

This rally was called by KNPB (West Papua National Committee) with support from West Papua National Authority, Dewan Adat Papua, students and youth.

The rally was called to commemorate the anniversary of the fraudulent conduct of the Act of Free Choice in 1969, and to remind the international community that West Papuan people still contest Indonesian occupation, human rights and environmental abuses, corruption and impunity. The organisers of the demonstrations have asserted that rolling mobilisations will be increasing to demand a review of the Act of Free Choice until its 41st anniversary on August 15.

Today’s gathering at Sentani remained peaceful, although large numbers of security forces, 3 trucks of heavily armed anti-terror Dalmas paramilitary police, over 100 armed plain clothes intelligence agents, and water cannon were in attendance. Despite intimidation from Indonesian security forces, the mass gathering maintained peaceful discipline and listened to speeches and music.

More demonstrations will be held tomorrow as the special sessions of the DPRP will be held in Jayapura to discuss the final handback of the failed Special Autonomy package to Jakarta, Tens Thousands of people are expected to gather in the morning in a mass mobilisation called by ForDem (Forum Demokratik Rakyat Papua / Democratic Forum of Papuan
People). Security forces are expected to prevent people from gathering, so this is a situation that will need monitoring to ensure restraint by Indonesian Police and military.

Nick Chesterfield @West Papua Media Alerts

Jayapura 02/08/2010, ratusan masa aksi yang diakomodir oleh komite nasional Papua Barat (KNPB), mengakomodir seluruh komponen masyarakat papua dan semu organ-organ pergerakan, dan semu tokoh-tokoh. Masa berkumpul di beberapa titik kumpul menuju ke sasaran aksi mimbar politik bebas di pemekaman pahlawan Theys Eluai Sentani Jayapura Papua.

Acara tersebut mulai pada pukul: 12 :15 wpb, berlangsung mulai dengan orasi-orasi dari masing-masing organ dan juga pelaku PEPERA 1969 menjelaskan tentang pelaksanaan PEPERA pada masa lalu, namun semua menyatakan tidak sah karena Indonesia Amerika dan PBB telah melanggar hukum internasional dan tidak laksanakan PEPERA 1969 sesui dengan prinsip-prinsip hokum internasional yaitu (one people one soul).

Pelaku Sejarah Fred Suebu menjelaskan bahwa;

-Pada perjanjian New York orang Papua tidak ikut tanda tangan, maka dinyatakan PEPERA 1969 adalah tidak sah dan cacat hukum dan moral.

– dan saya minta kepada PBB segera lakukan Referendum bagi bangsa Papua Barat .

Dalam orasinya Forkorus Yoesiebu bahwa;

– Kita orang Papua barsatu menuntut kedaulatan dan gugat aneksasi.

– Pertanyaan; apakah rakyat setuju besok bentuk Pemerintahan Negara Papua Barat?

– Rakyat menyatakan setuju.

– Aneksasi PEPERA 1969 harus kugat dan kami rakyat bangsa Papua Barat menembalikan PEPERA 1969 ke PBB.

– Amerika, Belanda, Indonesia dan PBB tidak menghargai hak orang Papua , maka kami menuntut kugat aneksasi.

Demikian Yang mana komite nasional papua barat telah diadakan mimbar bebas politik dalam ranggga mengembalikan anekesasi PEPERA 1969 ke pangguan PBB, bentuk mayat peti PEPEPRA 1969 dan beberapa surat piagam telah kembalikan dan rakyat bangsa Papua Barat Menuntut Referendum untuk pepentuan nasib sendiri bagi bangsa papua barat. Demikian guna menggukat PEPERA 1969 di tingkat Internasional yaitu pengadilan Internasional (ICJ) melalui lembaga diplomat papua yang ada yaitu (ILWP).

Demikian laporan kami Jayapura Papua barat dan atas kerjasama yang baik kami sampaikan banyak terimaksih.

By yasons sambom

West Papua Human Rights Activist

International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP) letter to the Pacific Islands Forum

Mr Tuiloma Neroni Slade
The Secretary General Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
Private Mail Bag Suva FIJI

Dear Secretary General,

The Leaders Vision for the Pacific Islands Forum states that:

“We seek a Pacific region that is respected for the quality of its governance, the sustainable management of its resources, the full
observance of democratic values and for its defence and promotion of human rights.”

In view of these important objectives, the International Lawyers for West Papua would like to draw your attention to the continuing illegal situation in West Papua, the former Netherlands New Guinea.

Click here to download the full letter

West Papuan people preparing for fresh wave of independence protests demanding referendum

Bintang Papua

The chairman of the KNPB, the National Committee of West Papua, Buchtar Tabuni has told the press that his organisation is preparing to consolidate and mobilise large numbers of people to occupy town centres across West Papua to draw international attention to the cause and, making the following demands:

Pepera, the Act of Free Choice is unlawful and must be handed back. A referendum should be held as soon as possible. International Parliamentarians for West Papua, the IPWP, and International Lawyers for West  Papua, the ILWP, together with the Vanuatu government should facilitate efforts to challenge the legal and political status of West Papua at the UN. And the KNPB wants to mediate the referendum by the people.

‘This is the most democratic way forward,’ he said, ‘as the way leading to independence. The idea to hold a referendum came from the Majelis Rakyat Papua, the Papuan People’s Council.’

He said that the referendum is the middle way towards resolving the West Papua conflict. The pepera occurred in the 1960s, with a huge amount of manipulation, violating basic international standards.

At the present moment, this matter is before the international community, a move to convince the UN to understand the illegality of Papua’s status as part of the Indonesian republic, NKRI. The IPWP and the ILWP were set up to press for these issues to be taken to the UN, and its members have been lobbying governments in their respective countries.

The process has been promoted by the Vanuatu parliament and government which have agreed to take the issue to the UN, namely to the International Court of Justice, and seek an opinion about the political status of West Papua. Similar pressure is under way by the governments of the PNG and the UK. [Comment: There is little evidence at the moment that this statement is true.]

The  process needs to be supported by the mass of the Papuan people, solidly demanding a referendum. The international community is beginning to underrstand what the Papuan people want while Jakarta is closing its eyes and doing nothing to seek a solution, even though thousands of people have demonstrated in support of the decisions of the MRP.

Papuans need to recognise that Indonesia is a colonial power which cannot be expected to find a solution by means of a referendum.

On 2 August, a campaign will begin to point out that the pepera took place at a time of brutal military repression in Papua. This will be the moment when the Papaun people’s  rejection of pepera will become part of a national campaign throughout the territory of West Papua.

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