7 October 2013
Confirmed-West Papuan students definitely forced out of consulate. Fear for their safety.
In light of the latest report on the ABC which confirms that the West Papuan students were definitely forced out of the
consulate, AWPA has sent an email to the Australian Consulate in Bali urging the Consul- General to contact the
Indonesian authorities asking that the West Papuans not be arrested.
Joe Collins of AWPA said, this is the least that the Australian authorities should do in light of the report which
quotes Associate Professor Clinton Fernandes stating that he "heard a phone conversation in which an Australian official
threatened the trio, leading them to fear for their lives if they were handed over to Indonesian authorities" and "They
were being threatened with having the military called in and the police. They feared for their lives." "It was very,
very threatening - the word threat is accurate. There was not a polite conversation. (The students had left their phone
recorder on).
It is understood that departure points out of Bali are being monitored by the Indonesian authorities and intelligence.
ABC report
Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
PO Box 28, Spit Junction, Sydney, Australia 2088
Consul-General in Bali
Mr Brett Farmer
Jalan Tantular, No. 32
Renon, Denpasar
Bali
7 October 2013
Dear Mr Farmer,
I am writing to you again on behalf of the Australia West Papua Association in Sydney concerning the West Papuan
students forced out of your consulate in Bali. We are shocked at the revelations in the ABC report which confirms that
somebody in the consul threatened the students with having the military and the police called in, causing them to fear
for their lives.
An academic, Associate Professor Clinton Fernandes is quoted in the ABC report stating “he heard a phone conversation in
which an Australian official threatened the trio, leading them to fear for their lives if they were handed over to
Indonesian authorities”. (The students had left their phone recorder on while in the consulate).
In light of these revelations we urge you to contact the Indonesian authorities urging them not to arrest the West
Papuan students.
Yours sincerely
Joe Collins
AWPA (Sydney)
CC. Australian Embassy Jakarta
ENDS