Mass Arrests Continue in West Papua

Statement by the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation
24 March 2010 -- Indonesia police arrested 26 people of West Papua who took part in a peaceful march demanding a referendum in Waena, Jayapura yesterday. 15 people were arrested and are now in police custody:
Slamet Kosay, Ani Awek, Yason Sambom, Warius Wetipo, Werianus Kogoya, Oteran Kogoya, Yusuf Weani, Taris Kulla, Emson Kogoya, Elias Donami, Isak Nawipa, Kassy Tabuni, Ruth Youw, Ademus Wenda, Elly Yikwa.

These students were apparently members of the West Papua National Committee who protested outside Waena Expo complex in Jayapura on Monday in relation to the visit of President Barak Obama in June this year.

Deputy chief of Jayapura Police, Adj. Comr. Amazona Pelamonia, confirmed that the protesters had been given a permission to organise the peaceful rally. According to him, however, the protesters were arrested because they did not comply with the primary objective of the rally but instead they called for a referendum.

Similar demonstrations were also held in the other parts of West Papua. In Manokwari, for example, hundreds and thousands of people marched on the street and called the Provincial Parliament of West Papua to organise a meeting with President Obama during his Indonesia in June and withdraw Indonesian organic troops from West Papua. Consequently, mass arrests were reportedly made in the area.

According to AFP, the Indonesian military is considering sending thousands of extra troops to restive the Papua province where it stands accused of widespread human rights abuses, a spokesman said Tuesday. Rear Marshal Sagom Tamboen said up to four battalions from a "Rapid Reaction Strike Force" division based in Jakarta could be sent to the restive province to "maintain the territory's unity within eastern Indonesia".

"There are many things we took into consideration. .. Including tackling the separatist movement and terrorism.

West Papuan Leaders in Vanuatu are very concerned about this alarming situation. We call upon the leaders of MSG and PIF to send a fact-finding mission to West Papua to monitor closely the situation in the territory. We also call on these two important regional bodies to call and encourage the Government of SBY to precede seriously peaceful dialogue as a viable alternative to conflict resolution in West Papua.

West Papua National Coalition for Liberation
P O Box 1571, Port Vila, Vanuatu.
E-mail addresses:awulkeweng@yahoo.com,
andy ayamiseba@yahoo.com.au