Welcome to the latest newsletter of the Free West Papua Camaign. The main newsletter is below but as we were about to send this out we became aware of the following news. Please read and take action on this:
STOP PRESS
Today David Cameron travels to Indonesia prioritising new deals with British arms companies. Cameron justified the actions saying “the [Indonesian] military no longer plays a role in politics, but fulfills its proper role defending the country from external attack”. Clearly nonsense to all those who have followed the military's operations in Papua over the last year, including the sweeping operations across the highlands killing civilians and displacing thousands of people, torturing civilians (as seen on international news) and opening fire on a peaceful political congress. David Cameron has previously recognised the suffering of the people of West Papua in a meeting with Benny Wenda and his election to Prime Minister was thus greeted with public displays of hope in Papua. Unfortunately, as ever, this turns out to be hollow words when the profiteering interests of big business are at hand.
We need to send a clear message to David Cameron and the UK government to remind them what the Indonesian military is really involved in. As Human Rights Watch has repeatedly stated the security forces carry out "continuing abuses, including extrajudicial killings and torture in Papua and other areas". Please take this opportunity to write to David Cameron and your MP to highlight the Indonesian military's true role and to call on the UK government to end all arms sales to Indonesia. Draft letters are at the bottom of this newsletter.
Dear Friends and Supporters,
The people of West Papua are rising up and they need our support now more than ever. In recent weeks, tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in brave and unprecedented calls for freedom. On 28th February, rallies were held to celebrate the launch of the Australian branch of the ever-growing International Parliamentarians for West Papua in Australia which was also supported by Parliamentarians from across the Pacific region. Less than a month later, on 20th March, more rallies were held to mark UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s meeting with Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. And just this week the streets were brought to a standstill to mark the New Guinea Council conference in the Hague.
Also in this newsletter, don’t miss the details below of upcoming events, the launch of The Lani Singers new album and ways in which you can take action. Thank you as always for your ongoing, vital support.
IPWP launches In Australia
Key Parliamentarians from across the Australia - Pacific region met at Australia's Parliament House on 28th February to sign the declaration for the International Parliamentarians for West Papua, which recognises the right of the indigenous people of West Papua to self-determination. Senator Di Natale, Australian Greens Senator for Victoria was joined by Governor Powes Parkop from Papua New Guinea, Ralph Regenvanu MP from Vanuatu and Catherine Delahunty MP from New Zealand, as well as other Australian Parliamentarians. This marks a significant new chapter in the International call for West Papuans to determine their own future. Listen to ABC Radio Australia's interview with Senator Richard Di Natale: http://www.abc.net.au/ra/pacbeat/stories/201202/s3437609.htm
Rallies across West Papua to mark the Ban Ki-Moon visit in Indonesia
Ban Ki-Moon was visiting Indonesia to participate in The Jakarta International Defence Dialogue, hosted by the Indonesian Ministry of Defence on 21 March 2012, a move widely seen by human rights observers as giving legitimacy to Indonesian militarist objectives over West Papua and beyond.
http://westpapuamedia.info/2012/03/21/thousands-across-papua-demand-un-step-up-to-protect-papuan-people-photo-and-video-report/
Indonesia: Five Papuans Convicted for Peaceful Protest
Many of the world’s human rights organisations have already sent letters to the President of the Republic of Indonesia to release of the West Papuan defendants on trial for their involvement in the Papuan Peoples Congress, including the President elect Forkorus Yaboisembut, have each been sentenced to 3 years in prison. The jail term was passed down by the court in Jayapura on March 16, 2012. Ironically (but not surprisingly), no charges have been brought against the Indonesian military that violently broke up the peaceful gathering, killing at least 5 unarmed civilians and torturing hundreds of others.
http://www.freewestpapua.org/index.php/news/1851-indonesia-five-papuans-convicted-for-peaceful-protest
Czech Journalist detained and deported From Indonesia
Indonesian authorities continue to curtail press freedom in West Papua with the detention and deportation of a Czech journalist on 14th February from a restricted area of the country, according to news reports. Petr Zamecnik was arrested in the West Papuan town of Manokwari after photographing an independence rally in Papua. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1202/S00406/czech-journalist-detained-free-west-papua-to-speak-out.htm
West Papuan lawyer aims to attend International Forum on Women's Rights in Development
Yanti Gaspersz, is the only lawyer working on issues of violence against women and the only female human rights lawyer in West Papua. She has successfully won numerous cases in favour of women and children victim to violence, successfully lobbied provincial and municipal government agencies to contribute funds toward violence prevention programs and continues to develop proposals for innovative ways to address the epidemic of violence against women in West Papua.
Yanti is hoping to attend the Association for Women’s Rights in Development’s (AWID) 12th International Forum, April 19-22, 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey. To support Yanti in her brave effort to attend this conference, please go here: http://www.gofundme.com/ecqe4
Recent Events
New Guinea Council, the first step, the Hague
On 5 April, Benny Wenda travelled to the Hague to take part in an important conference. In the press center in The Hague, the theme of the conference was "the New Guinea Council as a first step towards the independence of West Papua", to examine pathways to the reinstatement of the New Guinea Council the original Parliament of West Papua from 1961 until Indonesia’s invasion. Talks were presented by Benny Wenda, Jennifer Robinson (ILWP) and supportive Dutch MPs. Huge solidarity demonstrations were held in West Papua with hundreds taking to the streets.
Conference in Kingston
Benny Wenda gave an inspirational talk at the United Nation Association Kingston University conference the Road to Peace March 2012 http://www.infopapua.org/artman/publish/article_2632.shtml
Event at Green Templeton College
Benny gave a speech on West Papua's fight for independence at Green Templeton College in Oxford on the 6 March. http://www.facebook.com/events/239974069426754/
Upcoming Events
Olympic medals campaign at Amnesty International UK's auditorium.
At 7pm on 16 April, Benny Wenda will speak at the London Mining Network’s launch of the Olympic medals campaign at Amnesty International UK's auditorium. There will be speakers from Mongolia and Utah to talk about the mines from which Rio Tinto are getting the metal for the medals. Benny will raise the issue of the Grasberg mine in West Papua which is the largest goldmine and the third largest copper mine in the world. Come along to stand up and be counted!
https://www.facebook.com/events/200245136756741/
http://londonminingnetwork.org/2012/03/launch-of-greenwash-gold-2012-campaign/
Rio Tinto AGM
Rio Tinto, a partner of Freeport who own the Grasberg mine in Puncak Jaya, the highest mountain in West Papua. Al Jazeera reports on Rio Tinto and Freeport paying Indonesian soldiers to kill Papuans. A report by Global Witness revealed that an additional $10m had been paid directly to individual military and police commanders between 1998 and 2004. This included $247,000 between May 2001 and March 2003 to General Mahidin Simbolon, former head of the 1999 East Timor massacre. http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/08/2011828142858857222.html
Rio Tinto will hold their AGM is at 11am on Thursday 19 April at the QEII Conference Centre in Westminster. Trade unions are organising a demo outside along with The London Mining Network. Follow our Facebook page (see link below) for updates on FWP plans for the event.
Event at Edinburgh University
Benny Wenda will speaking at an event in Edinburgh University on Sat 21st April, co-hosted by Edinburgh Uni People and Planet society (which has at least 200 members). If you are in the area, come along and show your support!
Lani Singers New Album Release
The new album from the Lani Singers will be released this May; politically charged melodies from a West Papuan family now living in exile in the UK http://www.dancingturtle.co.uk/news-detail.php?a=new-album-from-lani-singers-set-for-may-release
Actions you can take
Contact your MP
We encourage you to contact your own MPs (www.writetothem.com for UK MPs) and ask them to sign up to International Parliamentarians for West Papua if they haven't already.
Here is the current list of signatories: http://www.ipwp.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=10
Also send the draft letters below to David Cameron and your MP regarding UK arms sales to Indonesia.
Follow us on facebook and twitter where regular updates are posted.
If you have an event which you would like Benny Wenda to speak at, or to book the Lani Singers please get in touch via the email above.
Many thanks,
Benny Wenda and the Free West Papua Campaign
Draft Letter to David Cameron
The Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London SW1A 2AA
Dear Mr Cameron
I write because I am shocked by news that you have travelled to Indonesia with the express aim of securing deals between British arms companies and the Indonesian military. In West Papua the Indonesian military regularly carry out extra judicial killings and commit acts of torture and I therefore think it is wrong and dangerous for the UK government to promote arms sales to this regime.
Two years ago you publicly acknowledged the 'terrible situation' in West Papua. When you became Prime Minister, hundreds of people across West Papua took to the streets to celebrate your appointment, with great hope. By encouraging arms sales to Indonesia you have betrayed this hope and showed your lack of understanding of the 'terrible situation' in West Papua.
You have been quoted in the Indonesian press saying “Indonesia has transformed itself in the past decade into one of the world's most important democracies, with a free media and elections. The military no longer plays a role in politics, but fulfills its proper role defending the country from external attack”. However, as you know, this is clearly not true. You claim Indonesia to be a democracy but in West Papua the facts speak against this. What sort of democracy locks people up for fifteen years for raising a flag? Recently five men were sentenced for “treason” for taking part in a peaceful congress which Amnesty International condemns as “a setback to free expression and assembly”. You claim that the military is only involved in defending the country from external attack but we have seen in the last year huge military operations across the highlands of West Papua killing civilians and displacing thousands of people, burning homes and crops. We are sure you will also be well aware of the videos of the Indonesian military torturing civilians that appeared on international news recently. As Human Rights Watch has repeatedly pointed out the security forces carry out "continuing abuses, including extrajudicial killings and torture in Papua and other areas".
From the above and many more examples it is clear that the Indonesian military is regularly attacking the population of West Papua and continues to be involved in gross human rights abuses. For this reason it is unacceptable for the British government to be encouraging arms sales to this regime. For Britain to have a credible human rights record it should reinstate a ban on all arms sales to Indonesia immediately. If you are not willing to do this could you kindly explain to me in what context you think these arms sales are acceptable?
I also take this opportunity to remind you that the root cause of the problems in West Papua lie in the denial of the West Papuan's right to self determination. In order to end these problems it is imperative that the West Papuan's are allowed a true act of self-determination as is their right under international law.
Yours sincerely
Draft Letter to MP
Dear Rt Hon ….... MP
I write because I am shocked by news that David Cameron has travelled to Indonesia with the express aim of securing deals between British arms companies and the Indoensian military. In West Papua the Indonesian military regularly carry our extra judicial killings and commit acts of torture and I therefore think it is wrong and dangerous for the UK government to promote arms sales to this regime.
Mr Cameron has been quoted in the Indonesian press saying “Indonesia has transformed itself in the past decade into one of the world's most important democracies, with a free media and elections. The military no longer plays a role in politics, but fulfills its proper role defending the country from external attack”. However, this is clearly not true, as the facts in West Papua show. What sort of democracy locks people up for fifteen years for raising a flag? Recently five men were sentenced for “treason” for taking part in a peaceful congress which Amnesty International condemns as “a setback to free expression and assembly”. Mr Cameron claims that the military is only involved in defending the country from external attack but we have seen in the last year huge military operations across the highlands of West Papua killing civilians and displacing thousands of people, burning homes and crops. I hope you are also aware of the videos of the Indonesian military torturing civilians that appeared on international news recently. As Human Rights Watch has repeatedly pointed out the security forces carry out "continuing abuses, including extrajudicial killings and torture in Papua and other areas".
From the above and many more examples it is clear that the Indonesian military is regularly attacking the population of West Papua and continues to be involved in gross human rights abuses. For this reason it is unacceptable for the British government to be encouraging arms sales to this regime. For Britain to have a credible human rights record it should reinstate a ban on all arms sales to Indonesia immediately. As my elected representative I ask you to bring these issues to the attention of the government and if they are not willing to impose a ban could you request that they explain to me in what context they think these arms sales are acceptable?
I also take this opportunity to highlight to you that the root cause of the problems in West Papua lie in the denial of the West Papuan's right to self determination. In order to end these problems it is imperative that the West Papuan's are allowed a true act of self-determination as is their right under international law. If you would like to find out more or offer your support to this cause then please visit the website of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua – www.ipwp.org.
Yours sincerely