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Announcement on setting up The Forum of Papuan Survivors

United for the Truth (BUK) - April 15, 2008

Papuan Survivors need to build their own force to seek justice for themselves, so that they can become upholders of the truth even though the State still refuses to acknowledge their existence. However, the many documents available and testimonies of the survivors will be witness to their sufferings.

This solidarity is based on our Belief in God and our love for each other, bonds that are far stronger than official restrictions. It is aimed at breaking down the barriers of discrimination between us.

BUK was set up on 27 March 2008 in Biak, and was inspired by the very pressing need among victims of crimes against humanity who until now have kept silent, traumatised, hoping for the day when justice will be done. In order to end this culture, it is time for the victims to rise up and break the bonds of impunity.

BUK's programme:

1. To build solidarity through capacity building.
2. A campaign to educate the public by means of human rights anniversaries and world human rights days.
3. Lobbying governments locally, nationally and internationally.
4. To exert pressure and draw up solid data about human rights cases in Papua.

1. Non-violence: rejecting the use of violence in any form.
2. Non-discrimination, equality between the various religions, social status, ethnic origin, social and cultural background and beliefs.
3. Gender equality
4. Recognition of the Universal Declaration of Human rights, and the various international covenants on human rights.

Unite for the Truth was set up in Biak, facilitated by Debar, PBHI, Foker NGO Papua and KonstraS Papua.

This Forum takes the name, Unite for the Truth (Bersatu Untuk Kebenaran, BUK) which in Nduga Gunung, the language of the Amungme people, means "People with Principles' The Forum came into being after learning from past experiences in seeking justice over the 7 December 2000 Abepura Case, when the perpetrators were acquitted by the Human Rights Court in Makassar on 8-9 September 2005, and the many other unsolved cases of human rights violations. Papuan survivors now want to organise themselves and build their own solidarity to fight for the rights of victims of crimes against humanity, in order to uphold human rights in Papua.

This Forum represents a large number of cases during the period 1977-2006: the Wamena DOM case and Biak in 1977, the many cases involving flying the flag from 1998-2008, the Biak Case of 6 July 1998, the Abepura Case of 7 December 2000, the Wasior Case of 13 June 2001, Portnumbay 11 November 2001, the kidnap and killing of Theys H Eluay and the disappearance of Aristoteles Masok, the 4 April 2003 Wamena Case and the 16 March 2006 Abepura Case.

Inspired by these sufferings and experiences, we survivors have decided to establish a strategy to break the chain of impunity and create a profile of Unity and Truth, based on the following principles:

1. To build solidarity between the victims of serious crimes in Papua.
2. To seek recognition for the victims and the rehabilitation of the community in the Central Highlands and the people of Papua in general.
3. The victims should now become human rights defenders.
4. The perpetrators of crimes against humanity should be punished in accordance with the law.
5. Cases of human rights violations in Papua should be handled honestly and with dignity, for the sake of human rights in the Land of Papua.

The problems we face are:

1. We suffer from trauma, anxiety, lack of freedom, threats over the phone, intimidation, and delays in obtaining services to which we are entitled.
2. A lack of funding and office equipment such as computers, laptops, camera, megaphones, printers and medicines.

Peneas Lokbere,
General Coordinator osf Unite for the Truth (BUK)

See also:

West Papua Links

Indonesia News Digest

Statements/press releases on West Papua