Home > South-East Asia >> West Papua

Letter to Alexander Downer on increasing tensions in West Papua

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) - August 11, 2005

Hon Alexander Downer MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

11 August 2005

Dear Mr. Downer,

I am writing to you concerning the increasing tension in West Papua.

The tension is about the return of the special autonomy bill. A peaceful protest had been planned for the 15 August. It has now been brought forward to tomorrow, the 12 August. The peaceful protest is to highlight the return of the Special Autonomy Law to the central government. The West Papuan People say they have received no benefit from the autonomy package and it is not working. As the 17 August is Indonesian Independence Day the organisers want to avoid any possible tension with the military just before the independence celebrations and have therefore moved the protest forward to avoid any reprisals.

The organisers of the protest have emphasised that the protest will be peaceful and is only about the government's failure to implement the special autonomy package and is nothing to do with any sort of separatism. In the past the military have used peaceful gatherings as an excuse to crack down on what they term to be separatist activities. This has resulted in people being killed. We ask you to use your good offices with the Indonesian government to urge them to control the military and police in the province and urge them to remain in their barracks as a sign of good will to the West Papuan people.

Yours sincerely
Joe Collins

Secretary AWPA (Sydney) PO Box 28, Spit Junction, Sydney, Australia 2088 Ph/fax 61.2.99601698 email: bunyip@bigpond.net.au
 

Click here for archive of statements and press releases