Fri, 24 Sep 2004

West Papua in Crisis

National speaking tour by John Rumbiak

John Rumbiak is a fearless advocate for the rights of the people of West Papua, the Pacific country occupied by Indonesia since 1963. John is the Chairman of International Affairs for the West Papua Human Rights organisation ELSHAM, which has taken a lead in the efforts to establish West Papua as a Zone of Peace. He is visiting Aotearoa during September and October, and will be speaking at public meetings in Whangarei, Tauranga, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin (see details below).

For more information about John, and to check for updates on his public meetings, see http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/johnr04.htm The national and media contact for John's visit is Maire Leadbeater, Indonesian Human Rights Committee, tel (09) 815 9000 or email maire@clear.net.nz Local contacts are included with public meeting details below.

* Whangarei *

- Monday, 27 September - Public meeting at 7pm, Pat Irving Lounge, St John's Church, 149 Kamo Rd, Kensington. Contact Tim Howard tel (09) 434 6633 or email the-farm@ihug.co.nz

* Tauranga *

- Tuesday, 28 September - Public Meeting at 7pm, St Mary's Catholic Church. Contact Peter Archer tel (07) 574 0976

* Auckland *

- Friday, 1 October - Public Meeting at 7.30pm, St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street, Ponsonby (opposite the Mosque, parking at rear of Centre). Contact Maire Leadbeater, Indonesian Human Rights Committee, tel (09) 815 9000 or email maire@clear.net.nz

* Wellington *

- Tuesday, 5 October - Public Meeting, includes screening of 'Land of the Morning Star', at 5.30pm, Catholic Centre Cafeteria, 22-30 Hill Street, Thorndon (parking at rear of Centre). Contact Peter Zwart, Caritas Aotearoa, tel (04) 496 1742, email peter@caritas.org.nz or Peace Movement Aotearoa tel (04) 382 8129, email pma@xtra.co.nz

* Christchurch *

- Saturday, 16 October - 'Conflict in West Papua' workshop, part of the 'Securing a Peaceful Pacific: Preventing and Resolving Conflict in the Pacific' conference, for more information go to http://www.posc.canterbury.ac.nz/pacificpeace/index.shtml

- Public meeting details to be confirmed, contact Gillian Southey, Christian World service, tel (03) 366 9274 or email gillian.southey@cws.org.nz

* Dunedin *

Monday, 11 October - Public Meeting, with introduction Metiria Turei MP, at 7.30 pm, Quaker Meeting House, 15 Park Street. Contact Maureen Howard tel (03) 477 8502

ENDS

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