Dear Friend of West Papua,
First of all may I wish you a happy new year.
2011 is my eighth year living in exile in the United Kingdom. My determination to return home to a Free West Papua remains as strong as ever.
I am sure many of you will share my deep concerns at the recent comments made by the Chief commander of Indonesia's TNI, Agus Suhartono, stating that the torture of West Papuans is “not a serious human rights violation”. These comments highlight the attitude of the Indonesian authorities towards indigenous Papuans and show that the behaviour and mentality prevalent during the brutal Suharto era remains. Under Indonesian law, torture carried out by law enforcers is not considered a crime. A recent report by the Legal Aid Foundation concluded that "beatings, intimidation, burnings and rape were so commonplace that they were considered the norm".
UN peacekeepers are urgently needed in West Papua, and I repeat my calls for foreign governments to support this in order to prevent further bloodshed and suffering.
Please also contact your local member of Parliament and bring the Indonesian commander's comments to their attention, encouraging them to sign up to the West Papua declaration laid out by the International Parliamentarians for West Papua (www.ipwp.org), which recognises the right of the West Papuan people to self-determination.
If you know any legal professionals, please let them know about the work of the International Lawyers for West Papua (www.ilwp.org), which is also actively seeking new members.
This Saturday 8th January, we will be holding the first of our monthly vigils outside the Indonesian Embassy at Grosvenor Square, London. If you are free, please come and join us between 1pm – 3pm. We will be holding these vigils every month. Full details are on the campaign website or Facebook group.
Finally let me once again wish you a peaceful and prosperous year ahead, and thank you again for your continued support for our struggle for peace, justice, democracy and freedom in West Papua. Your continued support is crucial to helping create change.
Wa, wa wa.
Benny Wenda
West Papuan independence leader in the United Kingdom & Chair of the Koteka Tribal Assembly P.O Box.656, Oxford,OX3 3AP England UK
Mobile:+44(0)7766875009