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Canadian activist concludes 12,000 kilometer bicycle campaign at West Papuan state prison
Pedalling for Papua Media Release - December 16, 2013
Pedalling for Papua spent 6 months on the road and held over 70 events aiming to transform the little known story of human, environmental and indigenous rights abuses experienced by West Papuans over the past 50 years into a household topic. This was following a national campaign in 2012, during which he cycled from Victoria, BC to St. John's, Newfoundland.
The 2013 tour raised funds for Papuans Behind Bars, an organization set up to monitor and assist West Papuans convicted for expressing their political aspirations for independence. Having advocated on behalf of West Papuan political prisoners throughout the tour, Bally has returned to West Papua and delivered postcards bearing messages of solidarity from all along his international route to Abepura prison.
The goal of the action, he says, is both to stand in solidarity with political prisoners and West Papuan activists as well as highlight the lack of access to West Papua for international journalists and human rights monitors.
"As I was closing in on the end of the campaign," says Bally, "I wanted to find a way to demonstrate the international solidarity this campaign has uncovered around the world, while showcasing the need for greater accessibility to West Papua for international monitors, including media. Hand delivering these postcards directly to West Papuan political prisoners is an opportunity to demonstrate these objectives face to face. I hope to remind these unjustly jailed individuals that their story is not lost, and will not be ignored."
Having called upon campaign supporters in Canada, the US, Ireland, The UK, Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia to send postcards, Bally flew into West Papua with the messages in hand. Risking deportation and arrest, he personally delivered the cards to Abepura prison, as gifts for those who have been arrested for acts of peaceful dissent.
"West Papuan activists put their lives and liberty at risk every day," says Bally, "in order to protest the ongoing human, environmental and indigenous rights abuses perpetrated in West Papua by Indonesian security forces. I've been campaigning about West Papua for over 4 years now. It is a place and a story that runs deep with me. It's in my blood. I've been privileged enough to be called an ambassador by West Papuan refugees, which to me is an honor that comes with responsibilities. I proudly shoulder the risk this action entails, just as West Papuans have done throughout the past 52 years of military occupation."
West Papua is exceptionally difficult to access for journalists, human rights workers and political activists. Visas are routinely denied, and when granted activities are invariably monitored and controlled by security forces. Bally entered region on a business visa, and although the action will be peaceful, the risk is ever-present. Bally says that maneuvering through this closed-state context is an unavoidable part of the action.
"Despite West Papuan Governor Lukas Enembe's recent statements to the contrary, West Papua remains a very difficult place to work safely and effectively in. Going to West Papua now, on the heels of having spoken about this issue around the world, free of restrictions, is in equal parts about standing in solidarity with West Papuans and highlighting the lack of accessibility to their homeland. International activists need to demonstrate both the need for and challenges surrounding effective access to this region if we're going to help create changes that are to the benefit of West Papuans."
Having safely and successfully completed both the campaign and action in West Papua, Bally is currently in transit to his hometown of Vancouver after nearly 7 months of campaigning.
All media inquiries can be made to: jeremy@pedallingforpapua.com. Photographs from campaign available on request.
Jeremy Bally,
Campaign Coordinator
jeremy@pedallingforpapua.com
www.pedallingforpapua.com
facebook.com/pedallingforpapua
Twitter: @pedalforpapua
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