* There is widespread torture and abuse of political prisoners in West Papua, according to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
* West Papuans are imprisoned by Indonesian security forces for taking part in peaceful demonstrations, and for raising their morning star flag
* There is a disproportionate, and increasing military presence- when Indonesian troops left East Timor and Aceh, many went to West Papua
* Indoensian military and police conduct' sweeping operations throughout West Papua, in which they burn houses, beat up or kill civilians and force hundreds of people to flee into forest.
* Foreign journalists and NGOs like the Red Cross are refused access
* Indonesia has breached article 5 of the UN charter for Human Rights which states' No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment as well as article 9- No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
* There is little freedom of expression and assembly in West Papua,. Peaceful gatherings are brutally dispersed by security forces and arbitrary arrests are made with subsequent lengthy jail terms.
What you can do :
Support Amnesty International campaigns for release of West Papuan political prisoners .
e.g See http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/indoensia-release-papuan-flag-raisers-20090114
Contact your local MP/Senators and urgue them to support internatioanl Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) launched in London in October 2008. See http: www.ipwp.org/index.html
Write to the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Istana Merdeka, Jakarta 10110, Indonesia urging him to release political prisoners in West Papua and support mediation of a political settlement between the Indonesian government and West Papua Transitional Authority. Also write to the Australian Prime minister, as a partner in the Lombok treaty, to press for mediation and an end to suppression of human rights in West Papua.
FREE WEST PAPUA CAMPAIGN IN MELBOURNE
* West Papuans are imprisoned by Indonesian security forces for taking part in peaceful demonstrations, and for raising their morning star flag
* There is a disproportionate, and increasing military presence- when Indonesian troops left East Timor and Aceh, many went to West Papua
* Indoensian military and police conduct' sweeping operations throughout West Papua, in which they burn houses, beat up or kill civilians and force hundreds of people to flee into forest.
* Foreign journalists and NGOs like the Red Cross are refused access
* Indonesia has breached article 5 of the UN charter for Human Rights which states' No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment as well as article 9- No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
* There is little freedom of expression and assembly in West Papua,. Peaceful gatherings are brutally dispersed by security forces and arbitrary arrests are made with subsequent lengthy jail terms.
What you can do :
Support Amnesty International campaigns for release of West Papuan political prisoners .
e.g See http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/indoensia-release-papuan-flag-raisers-20090114
Contact your local MP/Senators and urgue them to support internatioanl Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) launched in London in October 2008. See http: www.ipwp.org/index.html
Write to the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Istana Merdeka, Jakarta 10110, Indonesia urging him to release political prisoners in West Papua and support mediation of a political settlement between the Indonesian government and West Papua Transitional Authority. Also write to the Australian Prime minister, as a partner in the Lombok treaty, to press for mediation and an end to suppression of human rights in West Papua.
FREE WEST PAPUA CAMPAIGN IN MELBOURNE