WEST PAPUA: 45^th anniversary of Indonesian occupation marked in West Papua, UK, Netherlands & Indonesia

Free West Papua Campaign, Oxford, UK

www.freewestpapua.org

5 May 2008

For 45 years Indonesia has tried to SILENCE West Papua’s CRY for FREEDOM. But on 1 May 2008, despite threats, tricks and intimidation by the Indonesian military and Police, thousands of West Papuans bravely spoke out, supported in solidarity by many international friends.

In Wamena, Nabire, Jayapura, Manokwari, Sorong, Biak, Jogjakarta, Jakarta, London & the Hague, the same message was loud & clear:

“We are West Papuans! We don’t want to be Indonesian. We just want to be FREE!”

Reports received by Benny Wenda, Chairman, Koteka Tribal Assembly and leader of the West Papuan independence movement in the UK.

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WAMENA, West Papua:

Message from Wamena:

“On 1 May 2008, the Indonesian military tried to stop any Papuans in Wamena from coming out to mark the 45 anniversary of the occupation. TNI organised a celebration of “integration of West Papua into Indonesia”. They lied to us that UN were coming to visit us in Wamena so we would come out and then Indonesia could say we Papuans are happy to be ruled by Indonesia. But no Papuans went to the Indonesian celebration. Instead, thousands of us came from all villages into Wamena for peaceful protest against Indonesian occupation of our Land.

Today is the day of Indonesia Illegal Occupation of West Papua 1963 and the start of killing, rape, torturing, imprisonment and intimidation. Until today we never free so we want to live free in our own Land.

We need U.K Government to help us to have New Referendum in West Papua.”

For PHOTOS, see: http://www.freewestpapua.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=646&Itemid=2

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NABIRE, West Papua:

Message from Nabire, 1 May 2008

“We need Referendum.

We need Freedom.

We need to be free from Indonesia in our own Land.

We don’t want to live under Indonesia rule because they kill us from 1963 until today.”

For full message in Malay, see:

http://www.infopapua.org/artman/publish/article_1740.shtml

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JAYAPURA, West Papua:

On 1 May 2008, the Morning Star flag was raised in front of the local government office Jayapura, Abepura (Waena).

Indonesian Police are now searching for the person who raised the flag

For full message in Malay, see:

http://www.kabarpapua.com/online/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1085

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MANOKWARI, West Papua:

1 May 2008, Manokwari

People in Manokwari were preparing for mass protest on 1 May but the Police stopped them and two Papuan women got arrested by Police. Until today we do not know if they have been released. This is a report from Papuan students in Jogjakarta.

On 1 May, Indonesian military in Manokwari forced DAP [Papuan Tribal Council] to recognise the Indonesia flag. Military themself raised the Indonesia flag in front of the DAP office.

Number of the DAP members were not happy with military action. DAP had negotiations on 25 April with the TNI in Manokwari itself.  “We [DAP] said we not allow raising of Indonesian flag or West Papua flag in our office. We just want without any of the flag in our office. But TNI forced us to have Indonesia flag on 1 May.”

For full message in Malay, see:

http://www.kabarpapua.com/online/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1089

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SORONG, West Papua:

1 May 2008 Message from DAP [Papuan Tribal Council] Sorong

DAP Sorong reported to Papuan students in Jogjakarta that Governor Abraham Atoruri of West Irian Jaya Province forced the DAP and elders to sign a statement on 1 May about West Papua joining Indonesia.

But DAP refused to sign the statement and they are asking the international community to put pressure to Indonesia government not intimidate us into signing this statement.

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BIAK, West Papua:

1 May 2008 Message from Biak

“We need new Referendum and we refuse Indonesia illegal occupation in our country West Papua.”

For full message in Malay, see:

http://www.kabarpapua.com/online/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1083

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JOGJAKARTA, Java, Indonesia:

1 May 2008 Message from West Papuan students in Jogjakarta to Indonesia Government and to the world and especially to the people of U.K.

“Give us West Papuans our political rights we were promised on 1 December 1961. Indonesia, Netherlands and U.S. are responsible for the repressive action and manipulation about in the way Indonesia annexed West Papua Land.

Stop putting pressure on Papuans to accept Special Autonomy and the split of West Papua into more provinces.

Now the Indonesia Government is head of the UN decolonisation committee. We urge you to bring West Papua matter onto the Agenda.”

Update (5 May 2008): Since the flag raising on 1 May, Indonesian intelligence have threatened and intimidated the Papuan students in Jogjakarta. At the moment, the students are not leaving their dormitories.

Sign says: “We are remembering 45 years imprisonment and annexation of West Papua by colonialism of NKRI (Republic of Indonesia)”

For PHOTOS, see:

http://www.freewestpapua.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=648&Itemid=2

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JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia:

Message from Papuan students in Jakarta 1 May 2008

“Today we all West Papuan are remembering  this terrible day  and what happened to our elders, children, woman and our parents who were killed by Indonesian military because of this day.” 

For PHOTOS, see:

http://www.freewestpapua.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=647&Itemid=2

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BALI, Indonesia

Message from Papuan student in Bali to U.K Government

“Today 1 May 2008 we got arrested by Indonesia Police but we know U.K government and People of U.K. support us. [Four Papuans were arrested, but all have now been released.]

We know people in Australia, Pacific, Vanuatu, U.S.A. and Europe support us so we will carry on Peaceful Demonstrations until we get Freedom.”

The Papuan students delivered a copy of Benny Wenda’s message to the US Consulate in Bali.

Front Pepera Bali

For Indonesian TV News report of the 1 May protest in Bali, see:

http://www.liputan6.com/daerah/?id=158774

For full message in Malay, see:

http://www.freewestpapua.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=655&Itemid=2

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LONDON, United Kingdom

Free West Papua Campaign (UK)

1 May 2008: Benny Wenda delivers Petition to UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, at 10, Downing Street, London, together with Lord Harries Lord Hylton, Maria Wenda & Richard Samuelson

For PHOTOS, see:

http://www.freewestpapua.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=649&Itemid=2

For Benny Wenda’s Petition to the UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown (in English), see: http://www.freewestpapua.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=645&Itemid=2

For Benny Wenda’s Petition to the UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown (in Malay), see:

http://www.infopapua.org/artman/publish/article_1741.shtml

For FWPC(UK) 1 May 2008 statement on Youtube, see:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UTQUFElHbhk

1 May 2008: Free West Papua (UK) demo outside the Indonesian Embassy, London

For PHOTOS, see:

http://www.freewestpapua.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=650&Itemid=2

 

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands:

1 May message from the Motherland [Netherlands]

Free West Papua (NL) demo outside the Dutch Parliament

 

For PHOTOS, see:

http://www.west-papua.nl/cop148/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pos=35