Papuan Resistance

1) Indonesia tries to gag Papuan lecture

2) 144 Soldiers at Papua Base Infected With HIV: TNI

3) Penalties promised for illegal wood sales

4) ‘Smooth’ start for polls in Merauke, Asmat

West Papua warns of intifada against Jakarta

Source: Sydney Morning Herald, August 7 2010

WEST PAPUAN leaders are warning of a "total intifada" in their Indonesian-ruled homeland, saying the failure of the Pacific Islands Forum to discuss their independence may mean the end of its diplomatic attempts to resolve their plight peacefully. They are disappointed that Vanuatu, as the new chair, did not address the matter as promised but they have also singled out Papua New Guinea for "betraying" them with its insistence on Indonesian sovereignty. "We feel betrayed by Papua New Guinea and its grand thief - not chief - Sir Michael Somare," said Dr John Ondawame, a spokesman for the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation.

Dear Friends,

Please help us help humanity by reading and encouraging other adults to read the graphic novel at www.papuanvoices.com. (Does not yet work on mobile phones.)

The Illustrator and I have chosen to release the first three chapters (60 pages) now, given the urgency of the content but also because we can update and add to this "flip book" over time. (Try your scroll wheel to flip pages.)

If you care about disappearing cultures and biodiversity, you can help raise the world's awareness of West Papua by forwarding this appeal to your friends and colleagues, or by letting them know about this through Facebook, Twitter or word-of-mouth.

If you enjoy the beautiful illustrations in this book and you come to appreciate the global significance and dire urgency of its story, please tell others about papuanvoices.com.

The Author

OPM Military Wing Calls For UN-Mediated Dialogue
The Jakarta Post, Monday, March 15, 2010

The military wing of the separatist Free Papua Movement (TPN-OPM) said it welcomed dialogue with Jakarta as long as an international organization, preferably the UN, acted as the mediator.

West Papuans recently announced a foundational consensus on their legal defence and right to declare national sovereignty, thereby asserting their fundamental human rights and ancestral ownership of land. (The consensus has global significance in that West Papua remains on a scale similar to the Amazon in terms of what is being lost - diversity of local species and tribal societies, and the amount of oxygen produced by the "lungs of Asia".)

Human Rights Report 8 April 2009: Human Rights in West Papua deteriorates with shootings, arrests and orchestrated violence reported in Nabire

The human rights situation in West Papua continues to deteriorate before Indonesia’ General Election tomorrow. Local people have been shot and critically injured in a operation reportedly organised by Indonesian security forces against West Papuan demonstrators in Nabire on the 6 April 2009.

SEE PHOTOS ATTACHED

Saturday 9 August 2008

Reports from Wamena this afternoon state that there has been a fatal shooting at an event to celebrate UN Indigenous Peoples Day. Reports say that rally event involves 20,000 local people.

The man who was shot is identified as Mr Opinus Tabuni, age 35. Mr Tabuni is said to have been shot in chest and killed after Indonesian security forces fired into the crowd at about 3.45 pm today.

PRESS RELEASE

West Papua National Coalition For Liberation

Port Moresby, 29 April 2008 — The leaders representing 29 West Papuan political and civil society organisations have formalized the establishment of the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation [WPNCL]. This coalition represents the 1.5 million West Papuan people from over 600 tribal communities on the western half of the island of New Guinea. (The landmass of West Papua is an area of 430,000 square kilometers, which is about the same size as France.)

An April 22nd, 2008 demonstration involving about 500 West Papuan people has been reported to have occurred in Abepura, Jayapura.

Large numbers of Brimob (Para-military police) and Military were visible in and around the Jayapura and also the rural districts of Deparpre, Dempta and Genyem this morning.

Police and Military reportedly stopped large groups of people who sought to attend the demonstration. These reports said that 300 people were stopped in Boroway outside Sentani, who were from Genyem, Yuk and Lereh Districts. Another group of 300 people from Kerom District were stopped by the army at the Tami River.

The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) reports...

There have been a number of demonstrations in West Papua in the last two weeks with demonstrators protesting the failed autonomy package.

13 were arrested in Manokwari for carrying the West Papuan flag and although two were released, 11 are still in custody. There is concern for their
safety.

Also church leaders have been intimidated at a church conference by police and military personal in the highlands of West Papua.