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600 Students and protestors now surrounding Abepura prison in West Papua
Free West Papua Campaign (Melbourne) Media Release - September 1, 2006
West Papuan student detainees boycott court process as protestors brace for military action
West Papuan church and community leaders have joined with women's and grassroots organisations to hold an all night vigil and blockade of the Abepura prison where students accused of killing members of Indonesia's security forces are being held.
Protesting against the ill-treatment of the accused students who were involved in the protests on March 16 in Abepura, the demonstrators are currently bracing themselves for an attempt by the Indonesian military to disperse them.
On Tuesday, the day after they were beaten by Indonesian police and intelligence officers in front of the Abepura prison, detained student, Nelson Rumbiak, and his companions rejected the entire court process claiming they need a security guarantee by police "as the civil guardians of peace and justice".
Jacob Rumbiak, Foreign Affairs Co-ordinator for West Papua National Authority, claims the prosecutors had attempted to coerce the students into making false statements of their actions
"The students protested this charade of justice because they have been severely mistreated, and from experience shared by the West Papuan people, they are fearful that the Indonesian military has already influenced illegally the outcome of their trials," Mr Rumbiak said.
These events follow the claim last month that one of the nine accused students, Ferdinand Pakage, was shot in right leg during interrogations by the Deputy Police Commander of the Jayapura Regency, Gatot Aris Purbaya, who subsequently received a promotion.
Papua Coordinator of the National Commission of Human Rights (KOMNAS HAM), Seth Rumbekwan, claims the prosecutor's move to transfer the defendants from prison to Police custody was illegal.
"The decision made by the Indonesian prosecutor, magistrate and police is against Indonesian and International Law. These nine Papuan students can only be transferred when their families, client, their lawyer and the prosecutor all agree to do it," Mr Rumbekwan said.
The President of GKI (Protestant Church), Cornelis Berotabui and nine other Protestant Church leaders this morning supported the student's families, human rights and women's organisations, claiming the defendants can not leave the prison until the Indonesian Magistrates change the prosecution regulation of August 29 and guarantees Nelson Rumbiak and others security.
"These students have been scapegoated for the events of March 16 to create further tension to be exploited by the Indonesian military," Mr John Rumbiak said.
The students are calling for immediate dialogue and negotiations between NKRI and the West Papuan people, mediated by international third parties, to solve the root political problem of West Papua.
"We West Papuans need immediate international negotiations, because we cannot trust the Indonesian Military, Police and Government to provide security and freedom from arbitrary persecution for West Papuan people," Mr Rumbiak said.
For background on the case: http://freewestpapua.com/node/109
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