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APSOC condemns the arrests of the tribal council members in West Papua, calls for immediate release
Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition Press Statement - July 10, 2007
Men and women from the Papua Tribal Council have been arrested yesterday in Jayapura at the end of the Peoples Congress held by the Papuan Presidium Council to elect its new set of officers. Six men and two women including the newly elected head of the council and the executive director of Yayasan Dusun Anak Papua (YADUPA), an APSOC affiliate in West Papua were arrested and brought to police station for interrogation because the West Papuan national flag have been used during the opening ceremony of the congress in one of its cultural presentations.
It can be recalled that the waving of the Papuan Morning Star flag has been banned in West Papua to quell dissent and separatist sentiments among the local population following the forced occupation of Indonesia's central government of the former Dutch territory.
In his acceptance speech during the congress, newly elected head of the tribal council, Forkorus Yoboisembut said that his main job as the head of the Papuan Presidium Council is to fight for independence from Indonesia. "This is the voice of the kampong people and we should fight for it together," he said to the cheers of the some 500 congress participants.
"We do need better living standards, but (the ongoing) development or forced special autonomy that is underway should not stop West Papua's independence, since it is our right to determine our future and those who oppose this are violating our human rights," the newly-elected head of the tribal council was quoted by the reports reaching APSOC.
The congress was attended by participants from seven tribal regions and West Papua provinces. Apart from the 8 people arrested, 9 more people are being accosted for questioning and are asked to appear at the police station yesterday, July 9.
Intensified campaign by Indonesian police and military (TNI) have been carried out in recent months to intimidate any group or organisation discussing self-determination, the human rights situation in West Papua, and how to improve the lives of the people.
Colonel Burhanuddin Siagian, the commander of the Jayapura sub-regional military command, Korem 172, is reported in the Cendrawasih Post on its 7 July 2007 issue saying that "it is the duty of the TNI to crush any struggle or activity undertaken by any group in the community which tends towards separatism. What is absolutely certain is that anyone who tends towards separatism will be crushed by TNI".
A report released last week by the New York-based Human Rights Watch details the abuses by the Indonesian military in West Papua including the beating, rape and murder of people accused of belonging to the OPM, the Free Papua Movement.
(An open letter to Indonesian President Yudhoyono from a number of human rights organisations calling for the removal of Colonel Siagian from West Papua can be found at http://tapol. gn.apc.org/news/files/let070628.htm)
Those arrested in Jayapura are the following-- Forkoryus Yaboisembut, Leonard Imbiri, Thoha M Alhamit, Astriks Rumbonde, Yakop Kasimat, Willem Rumasep, Alfrida Faidiban, and Asmirah. Called to report to police on Monday, 9 July for questioning are--Thom Beanal, Willi Mandowen, W. Bonay and Fadal Alhamid and 5 others.
APSOC was trying to reach Leonard Imbiri, YADUPA executive director and member of the Papuan Presidum Council but cannot be reached through his mobile phone.
APSOC strongly calls for the immediate release of the arrested members of the tribal council and demand the TNI and police to stop arresting and questioning other members of the council to sow terror and fear among the people.
Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC)
The Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition is a regional formation started in May 2004 to forge solidarity for peace, justice and human rights in the Southeast Asian and Pacific region. APSOC has 14 founding organizations from 8 Asia-Pacific countries: