Rallying for West Papua In Melbourne

1 West Papua’s best democratic thinkers are POLITICAL PRISONERS (including Victor Yeimo, Boktar Tabuni, Saby Sablom, Philips Karma, Yusak Pakage, Jack Wainggai)

2 West Papua’s best social activists get DEATH THREATS (Yoab Syatfle, Secretary of the Papua Traditional Council in Sorong and one of the organizers of today’s rally, was sent six SMS messages warning "You are one of the people we are looking for, we remember you, if you leave your house yard one more time, you will be killed" according to an Amnesty International report on 28 Oct 2009)

3 West Papua’s ‘special autonomy’ economy is being HEAVILY SPIKED with Wahabbist money from Saudi Arabia (Charles Farhadian Christianity, Islam and Nationalism in Indonesia, Routledge 2005).

4 The Australian government is being MANIPULATED by its Lombok Treaty partner with typically duplicitous proclamations of ‘abundant patience’ with the refusal of 78 Tamils to move to the Tanjung Pinang detention centre; and the Indonesian government’s ‘commitment to a three-state’ solution for refugees more generally (Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa on ABC-TV Lateline, 28 Oct 2009)

Jacob Rumbiak from the West Papua National Authority that is organizing the rallies in Melbourne, Sorong and Jayapura (and yesterday’s demonstration by 500 Papuan students in Manado North Sulawesi) said the Tamil refugee crisis shows Australia does not enjoy the respect of its Lombok Treaty partner. “The refugees from Sri Lanka need to be processed in Australia not in Indonesia” he said. “We know how the republic treats non-Indonesians once the doors are closed” he said.

Rev. Terrianus Yoku, in Jayapura, also an executive of the West Papua National Authority, said today that “The policies of the SBY government in West Papua means Australia has bigger border-security issuess along the Torres Strait and Casuarina Coast than a few refugees from Sri lanka".

West Papuans rallying today in Melbourne at the Indonesian Consulate in Queens Rd at 12pm are joining Australian Aboriginal rallies for their civic and political rights in front of the State Library in Swanston St at 12.30pm.

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