Dear friends and supporters,
In this newsletter we bring you worrying news of a military offensive in West Papua’s Highland region plus a round up of recent news, events and articles and an invitation to our upcoming conference.
Next week West Papuan independence leaders, international lawyers, parliamentarians, representatives from NGOs and many who support the West Papuan people in their desire to live free of violence and destruction will come together. 'West Papua – The Road to Freedom' is a conference organised by the Free West Papua campaign and International Lawyers for West Papua taking place Tuesday at Oxford University.
We will be discussing the background to the current problems in West Papua and the illegalities of Indonesia's occupation as well the legal and moral arguments as to how they may be resolved. Benny and Maria Wenda will play Papuan music and speakers from Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and West Papua will also be making contributions.
As an appreciated supporter of this campaign, your are invited to join us and we hope we will see you at what will be a landmark day in this 40-year campaign for freedom and justice.
West Papua – The Road to Freedom
Tuesday 2nd August 2011,
2pm to 5pm.
East School of the Examination Schools,
75-81 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BG.
If you would like to attend the conference please RSVP to
The conference comes at a crucial time – over the last few weeks the Indonesian Army have been waging a campaign of violence and intimidation in the Highland regions of West Papua under the outrageous pretense of a ‘bakti’ - a social service mission. We have received reports that more than 600 Indonesian Army (TNI) troops have been conducting combat operations in the Tingginambut area since July 4th and have shot young children and a mother in Puncak Jaya during a military offensive aimed at ending armed resistance to Indonesian rule.
In response to reports on this news Major General Erfi Triassunu, head of the Cendrawasih Military Command, which oversees operations across Papua was revealingly dismissive: ?“We’d be very surprised if there were any civilian casualties, because what would anyone be doing in such an area?” Such denial of the very humanity and existence of West Papuan people living in their own homeland is, we feel, at the heart of the dire human rights abuses and environmental destruction currently being committed under Indonesian rule. More information about this so-called ‘socialising’ campaign is available on the FWP website.
Here you can also find other recent news and reports on the vanishing of local Papuan languages, the indictment of a low-ranking soldiers for killing and torture in Puncak Jaya plus news that West Papuan refugees in Papua New Guinea are now being targeted in violation of the UN Charter for refugees.
In the face of such worrying news we need your support more than ever. We have held several positive events here in the UK which we hope are leading to a growing recognition. The Lani singers have been performing with Benny Wenda and others speaking at several summer festivals around the UK. News is also spreading further afield with a recent article in Newsweek.
We hope next week’s conference will continue to galvanise wide-ranging support. Please remember that we always deeply appreciate your support – in whatever form it takes. There are many things you can do – forwarding this email or press release to people you think might be interested or concerned, writing to your local political representative or raising the issue online or in the media. It’s also very easy and quick to make a donation –visit our website for how to get involved. We only can keep the pressure up through the support of our volunteers and kind supporters.
Free West Papua
Merdeka
Benny Wenda
Leader of the West Papuan Independence Movement in the UK
www.freewestpapua.org