Asking for international monitoring for the upcoming protest in Manokwari, West Papua.
Can a protest peaceful march be banned?
I am sharing this message to inform you all that we will stage another peaceful protest on March 18, 2016, in Manokwari, West Papua. The rally is held to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Dr. Thom Wainggai (Dr. Thom) , Father of the nonviolent struggle of West Papua who died in March of 1996.
The protest is organized by West Papua National Authority (WPNA), West Papua Melanesian Women Solidarity (SPrMPB), West Papua Melanesian Youth Solidarity (SPMPB), West Papua Child (AWEPA), and the Federal Republic of West Papua.
We ask the international community to call on the Indonesian government to urgently: First, permit a United Nations fact-finding team to enter West Papua to investigate and monitor the human rights situation there. Second, resume high-level talks with our West Papuan political leaders inside the country with the aim of setting a timeline for a genuine act of self-determination.
We are calling for intervention in West Papua by the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), the Australian and US governments, and the United Nations to also intervene to stop this gross human rights violation in West Papua.
