APSN | 15 years after the Biak Massacre the oppression of the West Papuan people continues.

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15 years after the Biak Massacre the oppression of the West Papuan people continues

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) Media Release - July 5, 2013

PM Rudd is visiting Indonesia – will West Papua be the elephant in the room again - Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) Media Release. July 3, 2013
Statement regarding the MSG decision on West Papua - West Papua National Coalition for Liberation. June 25, 2013
West Papuans reject Australian foreign minister's claim that their independence movement is 'a cruel deceit' by 'self-indulgent people' - Rize Media Release. June 11, 2013
Letter to Australian Department of Foreign Affairs on another crackdown in West Papua - Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) Media release. June 7, 2013
Letter to Bob Carr on statement regarding Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua - Australia West Papua Association (Sydney). June 6, 2013

Saturday the 6 July marks 15 years since the Indonesian security forces massacred scores of people in Biak, West Papua. The victims, included women and children who had gathered for a peaceful rally. They were killed at the base of a water tower flying the Morning Star flag. Other Papuans were rounded up and later taken out to sea where they were thrown off naval ships and drowned.

The Australian Government who knew about the massacre turned a blind eye and did not protest to the Indonesian Government. (Between July 11-14 an Australian Army Captain arrived in Biak to carry out an official investigation on behalf of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs) http://www.biak-tribunal.org/west-papua-massacre-cover-up-controversy-in-australia/.

Joe Collins of AWPA said, "it is tragic that 15 years after the Biak massacre West Papuans are still being killed, arrested and jailed for peacefully protesting about the injustice they suffer under Indonesian rule. We keep hearing how Indonesia is now a democracy yet during May, the security forces cracked down on a number of peaceful rallies resulting in 3 people killed and up to 20 arrested".

There is no freedom of the press in West Papua as just days after first edition of the Pelita Papua magazine was published, it was banned by the police simply because it covered the issue of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) office in England

West Papua is one of Australia's nearest neighbours and the Australian Government should be doing everything it can to get Jakarta to negotiate with the West Papuan leadership to try and solve peacefully all the issues of concern in West Papua.

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