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West Papuan student activists targeted by security forces and Islamic militias
Institute for Papuan Advocacy and Human Rights Statement - July 10, 2007
Only days after the Indonesian Government banned U.S Congressman Eni Faleomavega from visiting West Papua, the Indonesian police, military and local government in Yogyakarta have teamed up with Islamic militias and hardline nationalist groups to crack down on West Papuan activists.
According to local West Papuan activists, forty-five student leaders in Yogyakarta have fled their dormitories, left their studies and gone into hiding following statements issued by hardline Islamic and nationalist organisations, Front Pembela Islam (Islamic Defenders Front) and Front Anti-Komunis Indonesia (Indonesian Anti-Communist Front). Since late last week extremist elements have been threatening West Papuan student activists involved in recent demonstrations protesting the Indonesian government’s decision to ban Congressman Faleomavega from visiting West Papua. The statements appeared in Yogyakarta newspapers Suara Karya and Kedaulatan Rakyat on the 7th of July and were repeated again on Indonesian TV news stations, Metro TV, SCT, RCTI and Trans TV.
On the same day (7th July 2007) Indonesian military officer Col. Burhanuddin Siagian currently serving in West Papua, was quoted in the West Papua daily, the Cendrawashi Pos as saying “For the sake of the NKRI [The Unitary Republic of Indonesia] we are not afraid of human rights. It is the TNI’s duty to destroy any group wanting to separate from Indonesia, irrespective of what methods they are using to struggle.” Col. Siagian was indicted by East Timor’s serious crimes units for the murder of seven East Timorese men in April 1999. Col Siagian has never been brought to justice.
West Papuan leader Mr. Jonah Wenda from the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation who has been in communication with the students said that “intelligent, local government and national security forces –- TNI and police -– want to arrest and kill those who support the movement of West Papua.”
One of the students in hiding, who spoke to the Institute for Papuan Advocacy and Human Rights on the condition of anonymity, said that “the Indonesian constitution guarantees our right to freedom of expression. Why is the DPRD [local government], military and police who should be protecting our rights, saying they will hunt us down and crush us? What we want is simply for the central government to allow Congressman Eni Faleomavega to visit West Papua so he can see the situation with his own eyes. What is the central government hiding?”
IPAHR urges the Indonesian government to guarantee the students safety and uphold their right to freedom of expression.
“These students were conducting peaceful protests. In a democratic country they should not be harassed and intimidated by the government, security forces and their militia proxies simply for peacefully expressing a political opinion” said Paula Makabory from the Institute for Papuan Advocacy and Human Rights.
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