Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
PO Box 28, Spit Junction, NSW 2088
Media release 22 June 2015
14 students arrested in Abepura, Papua by the police.
14 members of the Independent Student Forum (FIM) were arrested in Abepura, Papua by the police.
The students were fund raising to support the ad hoc team of the National Commission on Human Rights which was formed to look into the tragedy of the killing of civilians in Paniai on the 8 December.
According to a report in Step Magazine, the Abepura police dispersed the students early in the morning but the students gathered again in cab perumnas III Waena and continued their fundraising activity. Shortly after the police again broke up the fund raising activities arresting 14.
Member of the Papuan Legislative Council (DPRP), Laurenzus Kadepa visited 14 activists of Independent Students Forum (FIM), which was in the interrogation in Jayapura Police; Papua, this afternoon. Photo: Oktovianus Pogau. Step Magazine.
The names of those arrested are Melianus Duwitau, Termianus Kogoya, Fernando Ogetai, Aleks Mujijau, Sakarias Yogi, Yuliten Kobepa, Allo Yeimo, Nauren Ikinia, Esau Yarinap, Agus Kadepa, Arnol Yarinap, Benjamin Yatipai, Felix Tenouye and Alexsander Sedik. The last report said they were still held by the police.
The Jakarta post also reported (22 June) that the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has called on President Joko Widodo to issue a “ presidential decree to officially set up an ad hoc commission assigned to seek comprehensive resolutions to unresolved past cases of human rights violations”.
Unresolved cases of human rights abuses include
the 1989 massacre in Talangsari, Lampung,
the forced disappearance of anti-Soeharto activists in 1997 and 1998,
the 1998 Trisakti University shootings,
the Semanggi I and Semanggi II student shootings in 1998 and 1999,
the mysterious killings of alleged criminals in the 1980s,
the communist purges of 1965
and various abuses that took place in Wasior and Wamena in Papua in 2001 and 2003.
Ends.