Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
Media release-20 November 2018
AWPA condemns the arrest of over 100 West Papua National Committee (KNPB) members
AWPA condemns the arrest of over 100 West Papua National Committee (KNPB) members including the newly elected general secretary, Vero Hubi.
KNPB activists, including its newly elected general secretary, Vero Hubi (red shirt) transported by police truck after the police dissolved the 10th KNPB anniversary in the Bintang Bintang student dormitory – Photo Jubi
During the meeting the police arrived and arrested the activists. Earlier, the police (fully armed) also raided the KNPB Secretariat without showing a warrant, damaging the property and painting over the Morning Star symbol on the door.
Joe Collins of AWPA said, ‘the arrests of peaceful activists is of great concern particularly as the 1st December (West Papuan National flag day approaches). AWPA believes the arrests are to intimidate any activists who might be preparing to celebrate their National Flag day”.
Photo on Victor Yeimo's post
AWPA is also also concerned about the heightened tension ion West Papua. There have been clashes between the Security Forces and the OPM in the past months resulting in sweeps by the security forces causing villagers to flee to the bush. These sweeps usually result in human rights abuses against the civilian population in the areas of operations. Many reports have pointed out the security forces have great difficulty distinguishing between what the term separatists and the general public. It is not uncommon during these operations for houses, food gardens and livestock to be destroyed leaving the local people traumatized and in fear for their lives.
A Red Cross representative in the Highlands, Nelson Wonda, reported that thousands of Papuans have fled from their villages to the bush after fighting last month. He said many of these people don't have enough food, but they feared returning to their homes and food gardens due to the risk of getting caught up in the fighting.
AWPA will be writing to the Australian Foreign Minister, MarisePayne urging her to raise the arrests of peaceful activists and the security force sweeps by the military in West Papua with the Indonesian president.
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There are many ways forward for the West Papuan people. A possible way is the UN Trust Territory Council (sorry not sure of correct term A bit rushed this morning)
Under authority of General Assembly resolution 1752, Charter of the United Nations article 81 and 85 part 1, West Papua came under UN occupation in September 1961. United Nations administration has been implemented by the Republic of Indonesia since May 1963, public access has been restricted since September 1963, there have been reports of extrajudicial executions since 1965, exploitation since 1967, and armed conflicts and political arrests since 1969 when Indonesia also conducted a process it calls the ‘act of free choice’. An United Nations motion to call on Indonesia to allow a referendum or act of self-determination by 1975 was defeated on 19 November 1969 and the United Nations has not discussed responsibility for the administration of the territory since that time. A Yale Law School study in 1994 reviewed the application of the law of genocide to the administration of the territory. The UN Secretary General has not yet placed the news of General Assembly resolution 1752 on the agenda of the Trusteeship Council.
References available at http://wpik.org/ref
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