Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
Media relaease 8 November 2012
PM Gillard should raise West Papua at Bali Democracy Forum
AWPA is calling on Julia Gillard to raise the security crackdown on peaceful activists in West Papua with the Indonesian
President at the Bali Democracy Forum (BDF).
Prime Minister Gillard is one of the co-chairs at the BDF and she should use the opportunity to press Indonesia into
addressing concerns of the ongoing violence in West Papua.
AWPA is also encouraged that the PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said he would be bringing the issue of West Papua to
the attention of the Indonesian President at the BDF and we encourage PM Gillard to support the PNG Prime Minister in
raising the human rights issue in the territory.
Prime Minister Gillard has praised Dr Yudhoyono's efforts in promoting democracy, saying his country's "remarkable
democratic transition" should be a lesson for others around the world". However, Joe Collins of AWPA said " there are
credible reports of excessive use of force by the Indonesian security forces in West Papua, particularly in the last
month with a security crackdown on peaceful activists from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB). It would appear
that the Indonesian Government is allowing the security forces to operate with impunity in West Papua".
Joe Collins of AWPA said “given Australia's close relationship with Indonesia, the fact that it is providing training to
the Indonesian security forces , the Prime Minister should raise the human rights situation in West Papua with the
Indonesian President as a priority”.
We also note that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay will attend the BDF and hope she will also raise
concerns about the human rights situation with the Indonesian President.
ENDS