TV Papua news of june 2013: With this time: Police awarded for human rights violations KNPB leader Buchtar Tabuni tortured during arrest MelanesianSpreaHeadGroup discuss west papua full membership application The FreedomFlotilla holds Original NAtions Passports Ceremony Indonesian pressure on the UK and Australia BennyWenda continues international freedom tour in The Netherlands PapuaNL greets NewGuinea veterans
First we start with: Police awarded for human rights violations Chief of police Tito Karnavian decorated two of his personal for their role in the police actions during peaceful protest on may13. Commisioner Kiki Kurnia, head of Ops of the Jayapura city police, and brigadier Afandi, member of the PublicOrder Jayapura police. I greatly appreciate their efforts in curbing the demonstration some time ago, on 13 May 2013, to be precise” said Tito Karnavian to Bintang Papua, a local newspaper (15/6) The KNPB held an peaceful demonstration on this day after 2 people got killed when Papuans where commemorating 50 years of Indonesian annexation on the 1st of may, led by KNPB chairman Victor Yeimo. Who got arrested during this action and is still being detained for his contributions. Victor stated earlier this year that in 2012 Indonesian security forces murdered twenty-two activists from the KNPB and a further fifty-five are behind bars. Exactly a year before on the same date the Jayapura police murdered KNPB leader Mako Tabuni in the middle of the streets of Jayapura, after treating to do so if he would continue his peaceful demonstrations. And more recently: KNPB leader Buchtar Tabuni tortured during arrest The 12th of June, on the orders of Kiki Kurnia, Buchtar Tabuni, also member of the KNPB, was arrested and severely beaten also in the middle of the streets of Jayapura, following a mass KNPB protest he led the day before, calling for the Melanesianspearheadgroup to welcome West Papua as a full member. He was released again on the same day without any medical care. Sources http://knpbnews.com/blog/archives/2163 http://westpapuamedia.info/2013/01/04/victor-yeimo-22-members-of-knpb-killed-in-2012/ MelanesianSpearHeadGroup discuss WestPapua full membership application During the MSG leaders summit in the New Caledonian capital Nouméa, the MSG discussed the full membership application of WestPapua. Which was applied by the WestPapuaNationalCoalitionForLiberation as representatives for the westpapuan peoples. The FrontDeLiberationNationaleKanakEtSocialiste, which is the coalition of parties calling for independence in NewCaledonia, also has full membership at the MSG as representatives of the people of NewCaledonia. Video: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-30/conflicting-views-on-west-papua-bid-to-join-msg/4790482 Although the decision has been delayed this outcome has put the situation of WestPapua on the regional and international agenda. Source: http://westpapuamedia.info/2013/06/28/joy-and-disappointment-after-msgs-west-papua-decision/ in another part of Melanesia: The FreedomFlotilla holds Original Nations passport ceremony. In preparation for the FreedomFlotilla to WestPapua, FirstNation peoples have hold an historic event of the OriginalNationsPassportCeremony. As part of an campaign to bring the international attention to the undeclared war on Indigenous peoples of Australia and WestPapua. During the event artist Natalie Pa'apa'a, from the Australian band BlueKingBrown, put it in the following words: Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOz4HqY3xbo On june 29th Natalie and her band gave an performance at the MundialFestival in the Netherlands where they met with the Dutch Papuan community. Sources: http://freedomflotillawestpapua.org http://bluekingbrown.com/home/ Indonesian pressure on the UK and Australia. the Indonesian government officials have complained to both the U.K and the Australian government, both after events of BennyWenda and the FreeWestPapua campaign. In the UK the FreeWestPapua campaign opend an official campaign office in Oxford and in Australia Benny Wenda and Jennifer Robinson gave a speech at a non-profit TEDconference in Sydney. In both cases the governments do their best to keep relations good with Indonesia, as they have huge Economic interests with the Asian country. For the UK an 7,5billion pound natural gas deal in the waters of Papua is at steak, according the the british newspaper the Telegraph leading candidates in Indonesia's presidential elections next year called for a review of british investments in Indonesia, after the Mayor of Oxford allowed the office in his city. Australia has similar concerns, as it has a two way trade worth of $14,9billion in 2011/2012 and a two way investment worth $5.9billion in 2011. Dispite the Indonesian lobby to downplay the international campaign in support of WestPapua, the movement seems to steadily grow instead. Source: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/54294 in the meanwhile: Benny Wenda continues international FreedomTour in The Netherlands. When Benny Wenda arrived he had meeting with Harry van Bommel of the SocialistParty, with whom he discussed the current developments in WestPapua. Mr Wenda is meeting with parlementariers from around the world to gain there support in the InternationalParlementariersForWestPapua network. Mr van Bommel said to be interested to see if he could strenghten this network together with Dutch activists. The next day Benny Wenda attended the funeral of Jofrey Korwa, 3rd generation activist of the Dutch Papuan community in the Netherlands, who had suddenly passed away. In a short speech he expressed his respect for his strong spirit and the honor it was for him to have worked closely together. Jofrey has been a very active member of FreeWestPapua campaign NL and was also present at the opening of the office in Oxford. Later that day he was speaker at the TheHagueUniversity of applied science. Where the CriticalCollective organized the WhatsTheRealStory on the WestPapua issue. This was the last lecture in a serie of events organized by CriticalCollective. In which Dutch and Indonesian students, activists and PapuaNL community members of different generations created more clarity and awareness on this forgotten struggle. This combination gave platform to intense debates. TV Papua had the chance to have a short interview after the event: Video interview Source: TV Papua Later that month in the Netherlands Papua NL greets NewGuinea veterans During the Dutch veterans day 2013 PapuaNL was present in different forms at this big annual event in TheHague the Netherlands. Central item this year the current weapon deal that is being discussed between the Dutch and Indonesian government for navy technology. On the same moment Papuans remember the 15 year anniversary of the BloodyBiakMassacre, in which the Indonesian navy played a central role in killing hundreds of peaceful protesters and neutral citizens. TV Papua was present and made the following report: Minister timmermans: Letter minister of foreign affairs " protection of human rights is constitutionally defined. Compliance is only occasionally a concern. Given the nature of the goods and the end user it is not expected that this will contribute to violations of human rights." Different NewGuinea veterans also got an place during the event for their forms of raising awareness of the ongoing struggles in the former Dutch colony. Here comes the FreeWestPapua campaign to support these veterans with traditional songs and music. The message that was repeated by many veterans who have served in the former colony DutchNewGuinea was one of sorrow. Sorrow that they where forced to abandon the Papuans under the force of the international politics played in those days of the cold war. Source: TV Papua This was TV Papua of June 2013, you stay tuned we keep you posted! Till next time, Safe travels. bij Serko Otto Ap & Serko Mico Mamoribo/carels
