Indonesia escalating violence against West Papuans

Press release - Indonesia escalating violence against West Papuans

23/7/2018
Reports and footage of villages burning from Indonesian military strikes in West Papua in the last week indicate a new escalation in violence against West Papuans according to solidarity group, West Papua Action Auckland [WPAA]

“ The exact locations and number of civilian injuries and deaths are hard to quantify, but the Alguru village area has clearly been under violent attack and many families have fled into the forest with no support. Our organisation is deeply concerned about this escalation and has written to the New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs calling for him to immediately raise the need for in independent investigation of these events. If security forces in the highlands are attacking communities with or without Indonesian Government endorsement they must be stopped. As a neighbour we cannot just sit in silence while villages are firebombed. The Prime Minister hosted President Widodo of Indonesia recently and made some small reference to human rights concerns. This is far a from adequate response to the ongoing situation in West Papua whereby human rights and self determination are actively suppressed. The latest incidents show the Indonesian Government allowing state violence against communities and our Government needs to speak out against this,” said WPAA coordinator and former MP Catherine Delahunty.

The group is still waiting for a response from the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
ENDS

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