Australian Trained Police Detain Papuan Protesters

Australian Trained Indonesian Police Detain Peaceful Papuan Protesters

22 April 2010

Local police and members of Detachment 88, Australian and U.S. trained and funded Indonesian counter-terrorism police have detained 28 West Papuan activists for organising a peaceful demonstration in Manokwari.

The activists, all from the West Papua National Authority have been campaigning for free speech, freedom of assembly and a rejection of Special Autonomy in West Papua. Police conducted sweeping operations two nights ago and detained the 28 activists yesterday morning after hundreds gathered for a nonviolent demonstration organised by WPNA.

Although police in Manokwari are denying those detained have been arrested t,hey were still in detention when advocates spoke to police at 8:30pm last night. The 28 WPNA activists include: Mark Yenu, Executive Governor, West Papua National Authority (Manokwari), Martinus Manggara, Herry Mora, Matelda Maniani, Yan Gebze, Melianus Wantik, Ice Murib, Victor Omea, Yakonias Imbiri, Natan Waryan, Denis Mendez, Yorona, Yohana, Afrida Boby, Fridolin, Oni Sail, Natalia Wantik, Timo Aybui, and Ina Wenda. According to police in Manokwari they will now conduct an investigation to determine if the activists will be charged.

“The Indonesian government bans journalists and international human rights organisations from West Papua. Then when West Papuan activists carry out nonviolent campaigns for free speech they are harassed, intimidated, arrested, beaten and jailed.

“My cousin Jack Wainggai and ten of his friends were sentenced to between three and three and a half years for talking about freedom and for simply holding a Morning Star Flag. The Indonesian government says they respect human rights but they do not.

“There is no democracy and no freedom of expression in West Papua. Although the activists were released last night the Indonesian police could still charge them. If the Indonesian government wants to solve the problem in West Papua, the police should not arrest and detain Papuans every time there is a peaceful demonstration” says Herman Wainggai, a West Papuan leader who escaped to Australia by canoe in 2006.

Freedom of expression is outlawed in West Papua. Law 77 / 2007 explicitly prohibits the display of the Morning Star Flag and other Papuan political symbols. In direct contradiction with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in a reversal of a previous decision by Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, Special Autonomy legislation in Indonesian Papua was then changed to ban the Morning Star flag. In addition, there is a longstanding police practice of using antiquated hate sowing and treason sections of the criminal code dating back to colonial times and authoritarian rule under Suharto to prosecute West Papuans who display the flag.

Detachment 88 are trained by Australian police at the Jakarta Joint Terrorist Coordination Centre. Detachment 88 receives funding from the Australian and U.S. Governments.

ENDS

© Scoop Media