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Letter to FM Stephen Smith on 11 Papuans jailed for subersion

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) - January 12, 2009

The Hon Stephen Smith MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra
ACT 2600

12 January 2009

Dear Mr Smith,

I am writing to you on behalf of the Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) concerning the eleven West Papuan men who have been found guilty of subversion and sentenced on the 8 January 2009 to jail terms of three and three-and-a-half years by the district court in Manokwari. The men were arrested in March 2008 simply because they took part in demonstrations where the West Papuan national flag was displayed.

The men were protesting against the special autonomy law which they say has failed and has brought no benefit to the West Papuan people. The West Papuan people raise their flag as an act of celebration but also of protest against the injustices they suffer under Indonesian rule.

We note the large number of bilateral visits between Australia and Indonesia in the past 12 months but have not seen the human rights situation in West Papua raised with Indonesian officials during any of these visits. In December 2008 President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono hosted a forum in Bali to spread the democratic message across Asia and discuss ways to promote democratic reform. Yet, how can Indonesia claim to be a democratic country if they arrest and imprison people solely for raising a flag?

We urge you to raise the human rights situation in West Papua with the Indonesian President and also urge you to ask the Indonesian President to release all West Papuan political prisoners as a sign of good faith to the West Papuan people.

Yours sincerely
Joe Collins
Secretary

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
PO Box 28, Spit Junction
Sydney, Australia 2088
Ph/fax 61.2.99601698
email: bunyip@bigpond.net.au

See also:

West Papua Links

Indonesia News Digest

Statements/press releases on West Papua