Confirmed-West Papuan students forced out of consulate

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
Consul-General denies threatening West Papuan activists who occupied Australian consulate in Bali

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

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