5 October 2018

West Papuan film-maker, environmentalist and human rights defender Wensislaus Fatubun visits Aotearoa 6 Ocober to 20 October 2018.

Wensislaus Fatubun (Wensi) begins his two week New Zealand tour at Orakei Marae on Sunday 7th October at 2pm. He will be speaking in the Pacific Fale, Wynyard St, Auckland University Campus at 7-30 pm on Tuesday 9th October. His tour includes Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Whangarei. MPs Adrian Rurawhe and Golriz Ghahraman will host a meeting at Parliament on October 17.

Wensislaus (Wensi) Fatubun is a young West Papuan filmmaker (37) and video activist, with an impressive human rights pedigree. For over 12 years he has worked with respected peace and justice NGOS in West Papua, including the Jakarta-based Catholic Church group Justice Peace Integrity and Creation (JPIC MSC) and Papuan Legal Aid (Gabah Papua). He also regularly travels to Geneva and has addressed the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

Wensi reveals the potential of film to advance the Papuan struggle for justice and refers to the camera as his ‘weapon of choice’. He trains and mentors other young Papuans in using film to document their stories and their history of suffering. There are risks – especially when it comes to recording peaceful demonstrations.

Wensi’s mission is also about protecting West Papua’s forests from the encroach of palm oil plantations. As a recent Greenpeace report has documented West Papua is the latest frontier for the rapacious palm industry and the territory accounts for 40% of Indonesia’s recent rapid deforestation.* (56,000 hectares since 2015)Aotearoa is major importer of palm oil kernel and of kwila from West Papua’s pristine rainforests. This is a crime against the indigenous people of West Papua who rely on the forests to sustain their lives.

For further information: Catherine Delahunty 0212421967

Or Maire Leadbeater 0274-436-957 or 098159000

*http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1809/S00209/fonterra-implicated-in-deforestation-and-human-rights-abuses.htm

https://storage.googleapis.com/p4-production-content/international/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/7d4b5ba9-final_countdown_pages_lr_greenpeace_19092018.pdf

Wensi’s film ‘Mama Tineke returns home” appears on the Biak Tribunal website (http://www.biak-tribunal.org/)

Wensi appears in this news report http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2016/s4589563.htm about palm oil in West Papua and Sumatra.

ends

© Scoop Media