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Letter to Australian Foreign Affairs Minister on treatment of Papuan political prisoners
Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) - May 4, 2008
The Hon Stephen Smith MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra
ACT 2600
4 May 2008
Dear Mr Smith,
I am writing to you to express my great concern about the treatment of the 12 West Papuan political prisoners who are being held in the police detention centre in Manokwari. The West Papuans were arrested because they participated in peaceful demonstrations in Manokwari on the 3 and 13 March 2008.
A spokesman for the the West Papua National Authority who organised the rallies said "the rallies are voicing Papuans' desire for a peaceful solution to the violence and poverty they live with". The demonstrators were protesting about the failed special autonomy package and calling for a referendum.
The demonstrators were arrested simply because they were either carrying the West Papuan national flag the Morning Star or had the symbol on their clothing. They are facing charges under Articles 102, 106, 110 of the Criminal Code. These are the same charges that were made against two other political prisoners Filip Karma and Yusak Pakage who are now serving 15 and 10 years in prison simply for being present at a demonstration in 2004 where the Morning Star flag was raised.
The legal council for the twelve political prisoners has visited them in jail and is very concerned about their health and about the treatment they are receiving. He reported that the police detention centre in Manokwari is very unsuitable for holding prisoners. The ventilation is bad and many of the detainees are complaining of chest pains and breathing difficulties. One prisoner, Jack Wanggai who is a spokesman for the West Papua National Authority had a fever but refused to be examined by medical personal at the police clinic.
The food the prisoners are receiving is inadequate and their legal council reported that it consists of small portions of rice that it going mouldy, with a small portion of vegetables and no fish or meat. The supply of food for the prisoners is far below the requirements of basic human rights standards.
There is real cause for concern for the treatment of prisoners in West Papua. The latest report titled "The Practice of Torture in Aceh and Papua 1998-2007" compiled by a number of church groups and non-governmental organisations, documents hundreds of cases of human rights abuse in West Papua and Aceh between 1998 and 2007.
We urgently request you to raise our concerns about the treatment of the political prisoners with the Indonesian President and urge him to contact the local police and ask that they allow the prisoners to be examined by doctors and medical personal whom they trust and to ensure they are given adequate food.
We also urge you to ask the Indonesian President to have them released as a sign of good faith to the West Papuan people.
Yours sincerely
Joe Collins
Secretary, AWPA (Sydney)
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