Lawyers including Geoffrey Robertson QC, Mark Stephens and Jennifer Robinson announce launch event in UK for International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP)

"The launch will bring together Papuan independence leaders, lawyers, parliamentarians and NGOs, with a view to engaging the London legal community in ILWP activities. We will discuss the current situation in West Papua and how lawyers here in the UK can get involved in ILWP’s work,  including both asserting the international legal principles relevant to West Papuan self-determination and in human rights cases designed to improve the current situation on the ground in Papua."

INVITATION

International Lawyers for West Papua Launch Event

Wednesday, 12 October 2011

6.30-8.30pm

Finers Stephens Innocent LLP, 179 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5LS

International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP) is an international network of lawyers that has been created to raise awareness about West Papua and to present the legal case that West Papua has the right to self-determination under international law (see www.ilwp.org).

Speakers at the event will include:

·         Host: Jennifer Robinson, ILWP and human rights lawyer

·         Benny Wenda, West Papuan independence leader in exile

·         Geoffrey Robertson QC, United Nations Distinguished Jurist, former appeal judge on the UN Sierra Leone Tribunal and human rights barrister

·         Mark Stephens, prominent human rights lawyer

·         John Saltford, historian and expert on the 1969 Act of Free Choice and UN involvement in West Papua

·         Members of parliament supporting International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) – see www.ipwp.org

We very much hope you will be able to join us on this important occasion.

Please also consider becoming a signatory to the International Lawyers for West Papua (ILWP). Below is a copy of the declaration of ILWP, if you agree with it please let us know either by emailing Dit e-mailadres wordt beveiligd tegen spambots. JavaScript dient ingeschakeld te zijn om het te bekijken. or by entering your details on the ILWP website (www.ilwp.org). Your support is extremely important. We aim to build a strong network of international lawyers able to support the West Papuan's struggle for justice and self-determination. If you know any other lawyers who you think would be interested in the launch event or in joining ILWP, get in touch. Please also let us know if you can assist the campaign in any other way, be it research into the legal status of West Papua, advocacy work, lobbying, human rights law, refugee support etc.

We look forward to hearing from you and hope to see you at the launch event next week.

ILWP: International Lawyers for West Papua

THE STATEMENT OF LEGAL PRINCIPLES ON WEST PAPUA

We the undersigned recognise and confirm that the indigenous peoples of West Papua have a fundamental right to self-determination under international law.

We are committed to assisting the indigenous peoples of West Papua to exercise freely and peacefully their right to self-determination.

We are also committed to upholding, strengthening and preserving the fundamental rights and freedoms of the indigenous peoples of West Papua under international law.

We call upon the international community of States and the United Nations to uphold the international rule of law.

We request indigenous peoples across the world to help the indigenous Papuan peoples to exercise peacefully their human rights.