Five Papua Activists Arrested and Mass Demo Dispersed

Five Papuan Freedom Activists Arrested and Mass Demo Dispersed By the Police

Bintang Papua, 30 July 2013

Jayapura: Five Papuan Freedom activists were arrested while taking part in a demonstration on 29 July, in support of the discussion on Self-Determination for the people of West Papua which took place at the United Nations Human Rights Committee which met in Geneva, Switzerland earlier this month.

The names of the five people arrested are: Usamah Yogobi, chairman of SHDRP, who is also the chairman of National Reconciliation Team for General Mobilisation and the co-ordinator of the peaceful demonstration, as well as Alius Asso, who helped to organise the demonstration, Johannes Elegani and Benny Hisage.

People from many parts of the territory who took part in long marches towards the meeting place  were forcibly dispersed by the police for failing to have a permit.

According to investigations by Bintang Papua, the police dispersed the demonstration because the actions were not in accord with what had been stated in the request for permission to hold the demonstration.

Two of the five activists who were arrested were taken to  police headquarters in Jayapura City while the other three were taken to the police headquarters in Abepura.

The chief of police of Jayapura,  AKPB Alfred Papare, along with several other senior police officers, were  seen moving among the  crowd of demonstrators, attempting to halt the demonstration. One police officer said that of those taken into custody, two would be released and allowed to return home after having been interrogated.

The secretary-general of SHDRP,  Jubedius  Selegani  said that he was deeply disappointed  with the actions of the police to disperse the demonstrators because those organising the event had submitted a request for permission to hold the events.

He said that  the government of the Republic of Indonesia should  realise that their actions would eventually be seen as a victory for the Papuan people when they finally win their independence.

Selegani also called for the release of all the five people who were arrested. Similar views were expressed by the head of the district of Domberai of the WPNA (National Committee of West Papua) who said that during the dispersal of the demonstraation, many people taking part in the demonstration were beaten by the police.

Saireri Marthinus, head of the Transitional Administration of the WPNA, said that news about the dispersal of the demonstration would be reported in the international media, as well as the news of the arrest of the five activists  which would only help to advance the struggle of the Papuan people for their demand for freedom from the NKRI - the Republic of Indonesia.

ENDS

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