‘Seven dead’ after Indonesian troops storm Papuan
independence rally
21 October 2011
 |
| Violence comes exactly a year after a shocking video of Papuan men being brutally tortured by Indonesian soldiers |
At least seven people are feared dead after Indonesian
police opened fire on hundreds of West Papuans at an independence rally close
to the province’s capital.
Representatives from tribes all over West Papua were meeting
to choose a new leadership and to discuss the political future of the region.
West Papua has been ruled by Indonesia since 1963.
Police have confirmed the bodies of five Papuans have been
found, two dumped behind an army barracks and three in the mountains. Survival
has spoken to reliable sources from Papua who say at least another two have
been killed; their bodies have not yet been found.
Tension mounted as Papuans held their Third National
Congress in the town of Abepura. On Wednesday, armed soldiers and police
surrounded the venue and, following a declaration of independence from
Indonesia, the security forces stormed the stage, firing shots and using tear
gas to disperse the crowd.
Survival has been told by sources inside Papua that
approximately 300 participants, including women and children, were arrested –
many were savagely beaten as they were taken away.
Most have since been released, but the leaders, newly
elected at the meeting, remain in custody. Five have so far been charged with
treason – a charge that has seen many Papuans sentenced for up to 20 years.
Reverend Benny Giay has been a target of the US-backed
Indonesian elite special forces, and has received numerous death threats for
his role in exposing human rights violations in the region.
He told Survival, ‘We want the Indonesian government to stop
using terror, we need our rights. The Papuans demand a dialogue, mediated by a
third party, to settle the conflict. The Indonesians are killing us, it’s time
for dialogue.’
Survival’s Director, Stephen Corry said today, ‘This
violence comes exactly a year after a shocking video of Papuan men being brutally
tortured by Indonesian soldiers was released on the internet. It’s clear that
the international outrage generated by that event has taught the Indonesian
government nothing about respecting the rights of the Papuan people. Given the
history of barbaric treatment at the hands of the army and police in West
Papua, we are extremely concerned for the safety of those still in custody.’
2 comments:
Our governments are responsible for the deaths & other denial of human rights in West Papua ever since we voted "yes" in support of the US deal in 1962 for selling the people of West Papua against their wishes from Dutch to Indonesian colonial rule. No member of the UN had any right to vote yes to UN General Assembly resolution 1752 (XVII); it was an immoral, evil, and illegal UN resolution.
As a colony West Papua is not legally subject to Indonesian rule. Just as East Timor was still a Portuguese colony until it's people were allowed to vote on their sovereignty, so too West Papua is a Dutch colony until it is allowed the act of "self-determination" as required by UN General Assembly resolution 1514 and described in resolution 1541 (XV).
Thanks Andrew for your info. So the struggle of West Papua is similar with Timor Leste.
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