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NZ groups launch petition to support West Papua

Radio New Zealand International - July 7, 2016

• West Papua proclamation day commemorated with flag raising event in Yogyakarta – Suara Papua. July 1, 2016
• The urgent cry for help from West Papua – Anglican News. July 1, 2016
• West Papua: Human rights abuses cannot be hidden – The Daily Blog. June 30, 2016
• Indonesia attempts to crush mass peaceful rallies across West Papua – Huffington Post. June 20, 2016
• Indonesian consul says he's unaware of 'pressure' to paint over West Papua mural – Australian Associated Press. June 6, 2016

Green MPs have been among protestors outside the Indonesian Embassy in Wellington today marking the death of a teenager Owen Pekei last week.

The high school student was displaying the outlawed West Papuan independence flag when he was killed, allegedly by security forces.

A spokesperson for the group Catherine Delahunty says 3000 people have been arrested since May so far this year at rallies.

The groups say the situation is at breaking point with young people being arrested for nothing more than peacefully marching or carrying a placard.

The groups are hoping to get thousands of signatures on the parliamentary petition before the end of August calling for fundamental UN guaranteed freedoms to be respected in West Papua.

"We cannot be silent about these abuses in our backyard, especially with the Prime Minister's imminent trip to Indonesia," said Ms Delahunty.

• Find the online version of the petition on change.org here: https://www.change.org/p/petitioning-the-new-zealand-house-of-representatives-protect-human-rights-and-freedom-of-expression-in-west-papua

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