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Rallies in West Papua called for the 13 October banned by the security forces
Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) Media Release - October 12, 2014
The purposes of the rallies are to call on the Indonesian government to free the two French journalists Valentine Bourrat and Thomas Dandois who were arrested on the 6th of August in Wamena and remain detained in Jayapura – They could face up to five years in prison
Joe Collins said "AWPA is concerned that there may be a crackdown on any rallies that are held by the civil society groups as the police have refused to give a permit to allow the rallies to go ahead. They police claim that the organisations are not correctly registered in West Papua and demonstrators may use the symbol of the Morning Star flag on banners or posters which is banned by Indonesia.
In the past year the security forces have regularly cracked down on peaceful demonstrators in the territory beating and arresting many".
"We are urging the Foreign Minister to raise our concerns with the Indonesian Government, President Yudhoyono and President-elect Joko Widodo asking that they inform the authorities in the territory that peaceful rallies are a democratic right and should be allowed to go ahead without interference by the security forces".
Info Joe Collins mob. 04077 857 97
Letter to Foreign Minister Julie Bishop concerning the banning of rallies in West Papua
Australia West
Papua Association (Sydney)
PO Box 28, Spit
Junction, NSW 2088
The Hon Julie
Bishop MP
Foreign Minister
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
12 October 2014
Dear Foreign Minister,
I am writing to you on behalf of the Australia West Papua Association in Sydney concerning peaceful rallies that are planned by civil society groups and in particular by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) for tomorrow 13 October through out West Papua. The purposes of the rallies are to call on the Indonesian government to free the two French journalists Valentine Bourrat and Thomas Dandois who were arrested on the 6th of August in Wamena and remain detained in Jayapura – They could face up to five years in prison. Their case has now been handed over to Papua's chief prosecutor and it was reported that it will go to court within seven days.
AWPA would also like to thank you for your support for the Senate motion concerning the French Journalists moved by Senator Richard Di Natale on the 1 October.
However, AWPA is concerned that there may be a crackdown on any rallies that are held by the civil society groups as the police have refused to give a permit to allow the rallies to go ahead. They police claim that the organisations are not correctly registered in West Papua and demonstrators may use the symbol of the Morning Star flag on banners or posters which is banned by Indonesia.
In the past year the security forces have regularly cracked down on peaceful demonstrators in the territory beating and arresting many. Papuans behind bars reported that at the end of September 2014, there were at least 74 political prisoners in Papuan jails. It also noted that reports of attacks against lawyers in Papua indicate that the situation is becoming worse for those involved in human rights work.
We urge you to raise our concerns with the Indonesian Government, President Yudhoyono and President-elect Joko Widodo asking that they inform the authorities in the territory that planned rallies are a democratic right and should be allowed to go ahead without interference by the security forces.
Yours sincerely
Joe Collins
AWPA (Sydney)
Source: http://awpasydneynews.blogspot.com/2014/10/media-release-rallies-in-west-papua.html.
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