Subject:  YUDHOYONO AND RUDD IMMOBILE AS DETACHMENT 88 BRUTALIZES PEACE PROTESTORS IN MANOKWARI

April 22, 2010

Today's peace rally on the Rote Sanggeng Football Field near Manokwari's Provincial Parliament began peacefully at 10:00 am. But by 10:30 am, security forces—namely BRIMOB (mobile police force), DALMAS (special security unit) and the US-Australian trained and funded DETACHMENT 88 –had moved into nearby Sannggeng Market.

At least seventeen of the 700 protestors were brutalized, including housewives and mothers who now outnumber men at peace rallies in West Papua.

The names of those arrested and detained by the police in Manokwari include:

1 Mark Yenu, Executive Governor, West Papua National Authority (Manokwari)

2 Martinus Manggara

3 Herry Mora

4 Matelda Maniani

5 Yan Gebze

6 Melianus Wantik

7 Ice Murib

8 Victor Omea

9 Yakonias Imbiri

10 Natan Waryan

11 Denis Mendez

12 Yorona

13 Yohana

14 Afrida Boby

15 Fridolin.

16 Oni Sail

17 Natalia Wantik

18 Timo Aybui

19 Ina Wenda

Rally speaker Rev. Yoku is calling for the immediate release of these political prisoners. "What is democracy if you can't have a rally" added the President of the National Congress of the West Papua National Authority. "Where is Yudhoyono? Why doesn't he pull back his security forces?"

"As a recognized leader in West Papua, I call on the US and the Netherlands, Australia and the 84 UN-member countries that recognized the Act of No Choice in 1969 to take responsibility for the decision they made. Let me say this, because 816,896 West Papuans were never asked whether they wanted the Indonesian occupation. Forty-seven years later, we still don't want them."

INQUIRIES

Terrianus Yoku President, National Congress, WPNA, West Papua TEL +62 812 489 094 68
Jacob Rumbiak, Foreign Affairs, West Papua National Authority, Australia TEL + 61 (0) 406606966

 PRESS RELEASE                                                                                      THURS 22 APRIL 2010

WEST PAPUA: Responsibility of America and The Netherlands

At a large rally today in West Papua, Rev. Terrianus Israel Yochu called on America and the Netherlands to take responsibility for the New York Agreement of 1962 which illegally transferred West Papua to Indonesia.

Papuans from all over the territory are massing in the pretty coastal town of Manokwari to demand their democratic rights to free speech at a rally organised by the Executive of the West Papua National Authority (West Papuans’ provisional government).

“We are calling on all 84 member countries of the United Nations that approved the Indonesian occupation in 1969 to accept responsibility for their decision” added Rev. Yochu who is President of the National Congress of the West Papua National Authority. “America and the Netherlands have a particular responsibility to negotiate another referendum.”   

Papuans were heartened by the recent comments of Professor Amien Rais who said Special Autonomy had created ‘hell on earth’ for West Papuans. The Gadja Mada University lecturer said that for forty-seven years the Indonesian Republic had been robbing terrorising and intimidating its citizens in West Papua.

Rais is the former Speaker of the Indonesian Parliament and former President of Partai Amanah National (National Mandate Party).

“We appreciate Professor Rai’s honesty” said Rev. Yochu.

INQUIRIES

Terrianus YokuPresident, National Congress, West Papua National Authority, Papua
+62 81248909468

Jacob Rumbiak, Foreign Affairs, West Papua National Authority, Australia
+ 61 (0) 406606966