Fatal Shooting at UN Day of the World's Indigenous People in Wamena

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.

Mr Tabuni is said to have been an organiser for the Tribal Council in the Wamena region (Lapago) and appears to have been coordianting the event.

The demonstrators have raised four flags. These are the United Nations flag, the Indonesian flag, the West Papuan Morning Star flag and the SOS emergency flag.

The demonstrators are said to be refusing to move from the site of the demonstration until there is now International intervention in West Papua.

For further information about the demonstration is available from contacts in Wamena.

- Markus Haluk, Lapago Tribal Council member, +62 852 44442502

- Agus Alua, Chairman, Papuan Peoples Assembly (MRP) +62 816 43333084

and

Paula Makabory, Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights on +61 402547517 in Australia.

By resolution 49/214 of 23 December 1994, the UN General Assembly decided to celebrate the International Day of the World's Indigenous People on 9 August every year during the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. In 2004 the Assembly proclaimed a Second International Decade by resolution 59/174. The goal of this Decade is to further strengthen international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development.

In April 2000, the Commission on Human Rights adopted a resolution to establish the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues which was endorsed by the Economic and Social Council in resolution 2000/22 of 28 July 2000. The mandate of the Permanent Forum is to discuss indigenous issues related to culture, economic and social development, education, the environment, health and human rights.