Image – www.scoop.co.nz
Papuans Behind Bars has been launched as an online information service – http://www.papuansbehindbars.org/ – for the rest of the world to be aware of West Papuans imprisoned by Indonesian authorities – political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. This morning The Stringer was contacted by supporters of West Papuan conscience objector Selpius Bobii, who is in hiding from the Indonesian authorities, to tell The Stringer that Mr Bobii has been reading our news site and if we can highlight his plight and that of other West Papuans.
The Stringer will bring an interview with Mr Bobbi, and his views on the ways forward with the West Papuan cause. West Papuans believe that Australia must play an imperative role in the ways forward, and engage in the world’s unfolding human rights and social justice agendas – freedom and equality for all peoples at all times.
On September 2nd, supporters of the Freedom Flotilla to West Papua gathered outside the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Brisbane. They were protesting against the August 28 arrest of four supporters of the Flotilla in the West Papuan town of Sorong. Those arrested are now facing charges of treason because they raised the West Papuan Morning Star flag.
According to Papuans Behind Bars there are 57 Papuans jailed for cultural and political expressions. Despite all the allegations by a variety of sources of ex-judicial killings, torture and various persecution, the Australian Government has shown to have a deaf ear, instead seemingly choosing to override West Papuan peoples’ concerns with the neighbourly relationship they are seeking from Indonesia. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has bent over backwards in expressing his respect “for the sovereignty of Indonesia”. Amnesty International has called on Indonesian authorities to drop the charges against the four supporters.
There is no word from the Australian Government on the West Papuan political prisoners, with the exception of Independent Liberal Senator Nick Xenophon and Greens Senator Richard Di Natale. Mr Xenophon has questioned recent comments by the Government’s Trade Minister Andrew Robb about three West Papuans who entered the Australian consulate in Bali recently to raise awareness of human rights issues in West Papua. Mr Robb claimed they left voluntarily but various sources said they were threatened by the Australian consular officials that the Indonesian authorities would be called in if they did not leave. This is an incredible statement if true. Mr Xenophon said that his sources tell him that West Papuans are persecuted and he questioned Mr Robb’s claims that they left voluntarily. Mr Di Natale has written to Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop requesting a full account of the events relating to the three West Papuans, who are now in hiding, about them entering the Australian Consulate in Bali. Mr Di Natale had said that the Australian Consulate should have offered sanctuary to the three West Papuans.
In even more recent news the Governor of Papua, Lukas Enembe said that West Papua is now o pen to journalists and human rights monitors. This promise will be tested by many human rights monitors and investigative journalists.
Papuans Behind Bars said that in September civilians were killed in a sweep operation by Indonesian authorities in Paniai and which led to four arrests. When West Papuans rallied for the International Day of Democracy there were “scores of arrests.” Allegations of arbitrary arrests, detention, torture are common, and have raised concerns within the world’s leading human rights watchdogs.
