WEST PAPUAN PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE
P.O. Box 1571, Port Vila, Republic of Vanuatu
MEDIA NOTICE
13 August 2003
WEST PAPUA: A STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL
Press Briefing: Business Centre, Auckland Sheraton Hotel, 11.00am, Thursday, August 14, 2003
Four leading representatives of the struggle for human rights and self-determination in West Papua will speak at a press
briefing at the Pacific Islands Forum on Thursday morning.
John Rumbiak, West Papua's leading human rights advocate; John Ondawame, International Spokesperson of the Free Papua
Movement (OPM) and Papua Presidium Council Member; Agus Alua, Deputy Secretary, Papua Presidium Council; and Yosepha
Alomang, award-winning environmental and human rights campaigner will address the press briefing.
"The people of West Papua are struggling to survive as a people and as a nation in the face of 40 years of brutal
Indonesian military oppression," said Mr. Rumbiak.
The speakers will report on the progress they have made in alerting the Forum Leaders to their desperate plight.
The speakers hope that with increasing attention and concern the forgotten Pacific country of West Papua will resume its
rightful place in Pacific regional affairs.
An estimated 100,000 people have been killed since West Papua was taken over by Indonesia in 1963.
Photo Opportunity:
- Vigil with West Papuan flags, 5.45pm, opposite Sheraton Hotel, Auckland, as Forum Leaders arrive for cocktail
reception, hosted by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark.
- Vigil with West Papuan flags, 5.15pm, in front of the Beehive, corner Bowen Street and Lambton Quay, Wellington.
For further information: Paul Barber, 021 1357 483.
ends
ISSUED VIA: Peace Movement Aotearoa the national networking peace organisation PO Box 9314, Wellington, Aotearoa/New
Zealand Tel +64 4 382 8129, fax 382 8173 email pma@xtra.co.nz PMA website - http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/ Not in Our
Name - http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/nionnz.htm
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