Rt Hon. Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare,
Prime Minister Of Papua New Guinea
Ministry Office
Phone: + (675) 327 7316
Fax: + (675) 327 7328
Parliament House
Phone: + (675) 327 6537
Fax: + (675) 327 6630
Dear Prime Minister Somare,
On behalf of my people of West Papua, I am writing to express my deep concern for the safety of the men, women and children arrested by your police and defence forces in Vanimo on 23 January, 2011.
Your people and mine are true brothers and sisters. For years before the Europeans came, we lived alongside each other as Papuans. Today we still refer to ourselves as Papuans – both in West Papua and in Papua New Guinea. And yet, as my people are chased and hunted from their homes in West Papua by Indonesian soldiers, how can your defence forces and soldiers treat my people this way at our time of greatest need.
For 48 years we have struggled for independence. We have fought for our rights and our freedoms in our own lands. I write with tears when I hear that my people have been take from their homes and imprisoned, their houses and crops burned by my own brothers and sisters. I know you will share in my pain.
My own daughter was born in Vanimo and grew up with some of those that have been imprisoned. She looks to you also to ensure her friends are released from prison and allowed to live in peace.
The New Guinea Island is a land of honour - I appeal to you in this dark hour to let my people be free in your land, our land.
Our struggle reminds me of that of the Jewish people, and other persecuted people throughout history. They have been chased from land to land in a desperate attempt to find somewhere safe, somewhere that will accept them. Mr.
Somare, if your country is not a place where my people can be safe, where we can be accepted, please tell me, where is? Where shall we go?
Yours with hope and respect,
Benny Wenda
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
FREE WEST PAPUA CAMPAIGN
P.O. Box 656, Oxford, OX3 3AP England, U.K. Tel: 077766875009
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