Manokwari, June 10, 2011: Over 5000 people have gathered peacefully in Manokwari, West Papua, watched by about 200 security forces, to call for the release of political prisoners and detainees in Papua. At time of publication (1530 West Papua Time), the gathering has paralysed Manokwari, according to organisers, but is unimpeded by security forces..
Organised by West Papua National Authority (WPNA), the rally began with a three mile march from Sanggeng soccer stadium to the government’s provincial office (DPRD) at Manokwari. Thousands of Papuans were chanting “Thou Shalt Not Kill”, calling on the Indonesian government to end human rights abuses.
“Currently the situation in Manokwari is fine and is understood that there are military personal and POLRI present at the scene”, said Markus Yenu, Governor of Area 3, Manokwari. Mr Yenu highlighted that 100 security personal in civilian clothing and 20 POLRI surrounded the civilians. “We have paralysed Manokwari, but our aspiration is for peaceful action”.
The rally dispersed peacefully with a closing prayer by Reverend Terryanus Yoku. The majority of demonstrators were women and children.
Yohanna Wainggai, a housewife representing Melanesian Women in West Papua, said “I have to leave all my household duties and come down to this rally to speak on behalf of my children, who completed their studies but have no jobs provided after their studies”.
The organisers were pleased with the demonstration. Hans Sakorai, chairman of FNMPP (Front Nasional Mahasiswa Pemuda Pelajar Papua or National Front for Papuan Youth and Students) stated “our peaceful rally has nearly 200 military personnel present, but no violence erupted”.
Jack Wainggai, spokesperson for the executive president of WPNA, demanded the “Indonesian authority to release all political prisoners,” and he calls out “for the international community such as Australia, USA and the UN to seriously consider the aspirations of West Papuans for self-determination”.
“Liberation of the POlitical prisoners in Papua is act of good intention by Indonesian government to solve the root of conflict in Papua”
March to DPRD office, Manokwari, June 10, 2011
People of Papua call for respect of the South Pacific Commission agreement of 1948
According to information from the Justice and Peace Secretariat of the Kingmi Church, Papua, a man called Derek Adii who had just completed his application for appointment as a civil servant in the sub-district of Deiyai, was maltreated by six members of the armed forces in the Nabire port area on Saturday 14 May.
He was beaten and stabbed and died as a result.
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IMAGES OF DEREK ADII ARE HIGHLY DISTRESSING, BUT MUST BE PUBLICISED
from National Organisation for Student Solidarity of Papua.
Peace and Freedom !
We are reporting on the Demonstration of the People of Papua demanding a Referendum about Self-determination on May 2, 2011 ; for the people of Papua to have the right to determine their own fate. The demonstration took place at the Post Office in Abepura, Jayapura, as shown below :
– The Show of Support by the people of Papua was coordinated by the National Committee of West Papua, made up by the following organisations : Organisation of Students and Youth, DAP, Women, Religions, Intellectuals of Papua, and the whole people of Papua from this area. They marched from Sentani, through Waena and Abepura, towards Jayapura (Imbi Park), starting at 8 am.
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While waiting for the people to arrive from Sentani, there were political speeches from the coordinating body, and from several support organisations , all carrying street banners, leaflets and pamphlets, attracting the close attention of the security forces, there to « keep the peace », also tried to obscure some of the pictures. Some of the banners were saying : Some of the leaflets said « Papua, Yes ; Indonesia No. », with each of their flags illustrated. Others said « Referendum » and « Papua Merdeka ».
– At another coordination point (the campus of USTP) that morning a group began to gather in front of the campus gateway fronting onto Jalan Raya, Sentani, while others came from the campus of UnCen-Abepura. They had banners saying REFERENDUM. There were speeches and the people began to move towards the main square of the campus.
– A large group of people assembled at Imbi Park in the early morning, not to avoid observation, because there were thousands of people already assembled there.
– About 5 or 6 detachments of Police from Jayapura were there and 3 units of Brimob (mobile police), observing the demonstration with some bodyguards, using 7 or 8 trucks and other vehicles, some of them equipped with weapo
– Speeches went ahead until about noon, with 600 people who had arrived from Sentani began to assemble at Expo Waena. The whole procession gathered there were about 1000 people, preparing for the Long March to the Post Office at Abepura.
– The Long March began at 1 pm, and proceeded towards Abepura. At the TNI post at SIPUR, the demonstrators were surprised by an escort of Mobile Ambulance, together with a group of TNI (Army), fully armed, who accompanied the demonstration.
– Mass action continued its long march to the Central (shopping) centre , Post Office-Abepura escorted by security parties mentioned above.
– There were speeches, which were answered by cries of « Referendum » and « Papua Merdeka ». They stopped at the traffic lights at the Post Office at Abepura and began to sit on the road. All other activities in the town were halted and the town closed down early.
– The total number of people eventually numbered about 2000 to 2,500. At about 2.15, the procession from Jayapura began to arrived and gathered together with the others at the Post Office. The numbers swelled even more. The demonstrators stayed at this place, and listened to speeches from some of the leaders of the different groups representing the protestors.
– This demonstration was carried out peacefully until 6 pm, helped by vehicles which helped to keep the peace, dispersing the people peacefully, after which they resumed normal economic activities on the streets.
– The demonstration today, after marching well with vehicles and on foot, went off well and peacefully without any violence.
This report that we have made is completed by the Organising Committee for the Demonstration, 2nd May 2011, with great care, and we thank you for reading it.
KOMITE NASIONAL PAPUA BARAT
The West Papua National Committee [KNPB]
papuaemergency@yahoo.com | +6282198150589
==========================================================================================
POLITICAL STATEMENT
No: 015/knpb.sp/V/2011
Today, May 1, 2011, We the people of West Papua mediated by the West Papua National Committee [KNPB] give our statement that:
1. We the Indigenous People of West Papua have never and will never accept the Unitary Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) to occupy our
territory, West Papua.
2. The process of incorporating our territory of West Papua under the rule of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI); starting from 1963 until 1969
with the cooperation of Indonesia, the United States, the Netherlands and the United Nations was engineered, constructed and
managed by violations of the Standards and Principles of International Law.
Because we, as the owners of West Papua, were
never involved in the meetings and international agreements which discussed the political status of our region of West Papua.
3. Unilateral agreements made under the “New York Agreement” were not fully implemented by the UN, Indonesia and the Netherlands during the Act of Free Choice in 1969; in which we the people of West Papua were never granted the political right to vote (based on the principle of “one man one vote”) in the implementation carried out by the 1025 Act of Free Choice representatives appointed by Indonesia
to represent us and choose. It is a violation of our political rights.
4. Indonesia through its military operations have killed most of the indigenous population of West Papua Oince the DOM (Area of
Military operations) was applied in West Papua from 1963.
5. Indonesia has pursed, intimidated, terrorized, gaoled and killed the people of West Papua who fight for their rights and sovereignty of the West Papua nation.
6. Autonomy is not a solution to solve the West Papua problem, because t we, as the indigenous people of West Papua in West
Papua, had never approved the application of special autonomy, UP4B Program and all policies by Indonesia in West Papua.
7. Whoever supports the Special Autonomy and all Indonesian policies in West Papua, they are (considered) part of the colonists who compromise with Indonesia to abolish the political rights of our indigenous people of Papua; because our main problem is that the right of self determination which was trampled and eliminated through the implementation of the Act of Free Choice in 1969.
8. We do not acknowledge the existence of the Republic of Indonesia government and all state institutions of Indonesia, in the land of
West Papua.
Therefore, based on our statement above, we the indigenous people of West Papua demand that Indonesia:
1. Stop all the political maneuvering that is being implemented through the Special Autonomy, Redistricting, UP4B program,
Elections, Formation of MRP, and all its programs on our homeland of West Papua.
2. Indonesia and West Papua as subject to international law to immediately restore the political status of West Papua to the table of
international law, to prove itsef honest and thoughtful about the validity of Indonesia’s presence in our region of West Papua, for the sake of humanity and justice for the people of West Papua.
3. Immediately demonstrate the political will to hold a democratic referendum in West Papua under UN supervision in order to achieve the final solution of the political conflict in West Papua.
4. Stop the militaristic approach to solving problems in West Papua, because that is a archaic way in this era of open democracy.
Along with this, for the sake of solving the problems of West Papua through the process of Law and Politics, then we the people of West
Papua formally hand over a full mandate to:
1. Ms. Melinda Janki as chairman of the International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP), Ms.. Charles Forster and all members ILWP to encourage the completion of the West Papua problem through the application of international law.
2. Mr. Andrew Smith, MP, as Chairman of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP), Ms.. Caroline Lucas MP and all members IPWP to push the political process at the international level with the Free Papua solidarity supporters.
3. To the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu as Official Member of the UN to bring Legal Status of West Papua to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or International Tribunal.
For the sake of the unity of the struggle of West Papuans, then we also appeal to all the components and struggle organizations of the West
Papua that:
1. To stop the internal dispute between the Papuan people and organizations of struggle, and (to end) all unilateral decisions and that does not represent the values and decisions of the representatives of West Papua and its struggle.
2. Immediately unite in national consolidation to encourage the formation of the National Council of West Papua as an Agency Representative of
National Struggle in West Papua.
This statement has been made based on pure will of the people of West Papua.
Salam Satu Hati Satu Jiwa: One People One Soul
Kita Harus Mengakhiri
Port Numbay, Mei 1, 2011
CC:
1. The Republic of Indonesian President in Jakarta
2. Serge Vohor, PrimeMinister of the Republic of Vanuatu
3. Ms. Melinda Janki, chair of International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP) in London, UK
4. Mr. Andrew Smith MP, Chair of International Parliamentarians for West Papua (ILWP) in London, UK
5. Mr. David Cameron, Prime Minister of United Kingdom in London, UK
6. Mr. Barack Hussein Obama, Presiden of United States of America in Washington
7. All the struggle organizations.
8. Arsip
Joint Petition signed in the name of West Papua by
Join Petition signed in the name of West Papua by
Petitions Signed by Buchtar Tabuni Chairman of KNPB
JUBI – local and provincial Police stopped demonstrators from continuing on their route to the House of Representatives of Papua building in Jayapura. Motorcycle and other heavily armed police were involved in the operation along the highway. Units of soldiers from the Indonesian Army (TNI) monitored the demonstration from a distance. However, the mass of protesters appeared in far greater numbers and were overwhelming forces of the police.
Police halted demonstrators in front of the post office in the Abepura
area of the city. Not being not allowed further into Jayapura city, many of the thousands rallied chose to sit in the middle of the road and continue their protest. As a result, traffic from Kotaraja toward
Abepura was paralysed. Speakers addressed the thousands of protesters demanding the independence of Papua and review of the Act of Free Choice. They also demanded an end to impunity in cases in Papua.
West Papua Media Alerts 