| Home > South-East Asia >> West Papua | |
WPAA letter to Australian High Commissioner
West Papua Action Aukland (WPAA) - September 30, 2013
30 September 2013
The Australian
High Commissioner.
His Excellency
Mr Micheal Potts,
72-76 Hobson
Street, Thorndon,
Wellington.
Fax: 04 498 7135
Your Excellency,
West Papua Action Auckland is shocked to learn of the deportation of a group of seven West Papuan asylum seekers from Australia's Horne Island. We believe that this action is in breach of Australia's obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the humanitarian principles that underlie international law and practice on refugee matters.
We understand that the group, which includes a woman and a child, escaped by sea from Indonesian controlled West Papua and succeeded in landing safely on the Australian island Boigu, Torres Strait on 24 September 2013. Australian authorities arranged for the group to be taken to Horne Island but they were denied any form of legal representation. Instead they were subjected to a 'bait and switch' operation: falsely told that they were to be flown to mainland Australia but instead dispatched to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
We understand that all in the group clearly stated that they were seeking asylum in Australia from political persecution in West Papua. They had been involved in supporting the voyage of the Freedom Flotilla from Australia to West Papua. Although no vessel from the Flotilla made landfall in West Papua a ceremonial handover of sacred water and ashes from Australian indigenous elders took place at sea not far from West Papua's coast.
Indonesia made no secret of its vehement opposition to the voyage of the Flotilla – Australian participants were threatened with interception by the military, and local West Papuan supporters were arrested and intimidated. In one instance four people were arrested in Sorong because they took part in a prayer ceremony welcoming the Freedom Flotilla initiative. These four now face charges of 'treason' for this peaceful action.
If the group remain in Papua New Guinea there is a risk that they could be repatriated back to West Papua particularly in the light of a recent extradition agreement between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
From the details we have it seems clear that there has been a blatant breach of the rights of these asylum seekers under the 1951 Refugee Convention -including their right to receive legal representation and their right not to be summarily expelled.
We urge that this situation should be revisited and the asylum seekers given the option to test their legal rights under the Refugee Convention to claim asylum and protection in Australia.
Yours sincerely,
West Papua Action Auckland
See also:
 |
West Papua West Papua Links Statements and Press Releases on West Papua Indonesia Indoleft Archive Indonesia links Indonesia News Digest News services on Indonesia Publications & videos on Indonesia Reports & articles on Indonesia Statements & press releases on Indonesia