Wamena, West Papua, Saturday April 30 2011
Six people, including a 10-year-old child, have been arrested in West Papua for delivering leaflets promoting major pro-democracy mobilisations across the country scheduled for May 2.
According to Victor Yeimo, international spokesperson for activist group KNPB the names and ages of the arrested activists are Baroy Sambom (24), Etus Wandik (29), Victor Kepno (19), Agustinus Mabel (20), Tohmas Loho (21 and Yarimi Yare (10).
He said: “We got information directly from Simion Dabi, chairman of KNPB Wamena, that the six men are still being questioned by Indonesian Police in Wamena.”
Meanwhile, in Jayapura, West Papua, reports are coming in that the government pressure on activists is mounting. Large numbers of Indonesian troops (TNI) are patrolling and placing red and white Indonesian flags on most street corners. They are also forcing West Papuans to fly red and white flags in front of their homes to commemorate the annexation of Papua into Indonesia on May 1, 1962.
KNPB, through demonstrations coordinator Mako Tabuni, has urged the people of West Papua to not be affected by the provocation of the TNI and to stay focused on the agenda of the demonstrations on May 2. According to its plan, announced last week, KNPB is organising the people of West Papua to commemorate the annexation more somberly as the beginning of oppression in Papua under Indonesian control. It is calling for mass demonstrations to demand a new referendum over the sovereignty of West Papua