West Papua solidarity rallies in Darwin, Canberra, Melbourne + News : Melbourne Indymedia

AFFWEP Rally in Darwin on 23rd Jan outside DIMIA

Photo #1:
Rally attended by 20+ people, speakers Rev Lloyd Kent, EO of Australian Council of Churches NT, Rob Wesley-Smith AFFWEP and Saul Dalton AAFWEP (Australians for a Free West Papua)

Photo #2:
Sign as on Refugee Boat at DIMIA Darwin 23rd Jan 2006 - it says it all, and I think it is an application of Asylum!

We, as in AFFET (Australians for a free East Timor) held several rallies here in early-mid 1995 to free East Timorese boat people from detention in Derby. They were released on Bridging Visas but stayed on them for years, for some until after October 1999 when they went back to help during Interfet times and so lost any Australian entitlements.

Warren Snowdon MP (alp) is to visit Christmas Island Saturday probably. He says that if the Asylum Seekers did not state that whilst on the mainland then it will be too late. If this is true this is shocking.

Australians for a Free West Papua (AFFWEP)
c/- RWesley(AT)ozemail.com.au - 0419 807 175

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M E L B O U R N E

AUSTRALIA WEST PAPUA ASSOCIATION &
West Papua National Coalition for Liberation

MEDIA RELEASE - January 23, 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Free West Papua! Let the Refugees Stay! End The Killing!

TUESDAY JANUARY 24TH 2006
12PM SHARP

DEMONSTRATION IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE MERAUKE 43
OUTSIDE DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION (DIMIA)
CASSELDEN PLACE cnr LONSDALE AND SPRING ST, MELBOURNE

As the Indonesian military start killing the family members of the West Papuan refugees who landed in Cape York last week, a broad and large coalition of human rights, church, refugee, community, and green groups will be holding a community action to put pressure on DIMIA and the Australian government to let the refugees stay, and to Stand up for West Papua.

"I make an appeal to all people of good will that they extend the 43 West Papuan student activists and their companions the consideration and opportunity that they seek as they flee from military, economic and cultural oppression", said Bishop Hilton Deakin, Catholic Bishop of Melbourne, and Vice President of Caritas International.

"Especially we appeal to DIMIA that it learns its lesson from the Palmer report and its gross abuses in the recent past. We appeal as Australians especially for the return of some dignity and honour in our dealing with migrants refugees and asylum seekers", he continued.

"We are demanding that DIMIA release the Merauke 43 on Christmas Island immediately into community care on the Australian mainland with full rights, and that Australia stands up now to the brutality and genocide of the Indonesian Military in West Papua, before we get more blood on our hands", said Nick Chesterfield, International Officer, West Papua National Coalition for Liberation.

The rally is looking to be quite large, and will start with a visually striking traditional West Papuan hunting dance. A delegation will be seeking access to DIMIA.

Speakers will include:

- Senator Lyn Allison, Australian Democrats
- Bishop Hilton Deakin, Bishop of Melbourne and Vice President, Caritas International
- Robbie Thorpe, Director, Aboriginal Genocide Litigation Unit
- Pamela Curr, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
- Senator Kerry Nettle, Australian Greens;
- Jimmy Cocking, West Papua and Forest Activist

For Media comment:
Nick Chesterfield: 0409 268 978 Bishop Hilton Deakin: 0408 783 988

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C A N B E R R A

SOLIDARITY RALLY FOR WEST PAPUAN REFUGEES

Free West Papua! Let the Refugees Stay!

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25TH, 12:30PM

RALLY GAREMA PLACE, March to Senator Garry Humhpries Office, Bunda St Civic.

43 West Papuans have arrived by boat in Far North Queensland seeking asylum in Australia.

Please support this urgent rally in support of the West Papuans and calling on the Government to let them live in the community while there claims are assessed.

West Papua was invaded by Indonesia in 1961 and like East Timor the people have been subject to terrible military repression. These refugees are important members of the independence movement who are fleeing the escalating human rights violations of the past few months.

We call on Senator Vanstone and the Department of Immigration:

1. to treat the asylum seekers from West Papua fairly and not place them in detention.

2. That Senator Vanstone and the Department of Immigration release the asylum seekers from West Papua into the community while their claims are being assessed.

3. That Senator Vanstone and the Department of Immigration issue the asylum seekers from West Papua with bridging visas WITH FULL RIGHTS.

4. And that they must be processed in Australia, not on Christmas Island

For more information contact:

Refugee Action Committee: Andrew 0438 624744
Australia West-Papua Association: Trish 0405 140 465
Socialist Alliance: 02 6247 2424

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Papua Asylum Seekers Just to Attract International Attention

ANTARA (Indonesia) News - Jan 23 13:11

Surabaya (ANTARA News) - A group of 43 people from Indonesia`s Papua province who sough asylum in Australia recently was just to attract international attention, political analyst on Papua issue in Sydney, Ian P. Siagian has said.

Contacted by phone by ANTARA here on Monday, Siagian said the move was an attempt by the Organization of Free Papua Movement (OPM) to bring Papua issue to the eyes of international community.

"Thus, if Indonesia is not careful to lobby the politicians abroad for the case, West Papua is feared to have the same fate as East Timor", Siagian warned.

He said the asylum seekers from Papua was presumably supported by West Papua Association (WPA) in Australia [sic! AWPA] which has better network around the world, including in the United Nations.

Boarding a 25-meter boat, the group of 30 men, six women and seven children left Merauke on the south-eastern tip of Papua on Jan 13 and traveled a 400-kilometer journey to arrive on Australia`s north coast on Jan 18.

Papua is the former Irian Jaya province that has been fighting for a separate state after the former Dutch colonial power ceded control to Indonesia in 1963.

Its name was changed under a regional autonomy law to reduce the government`s hold on outlying provinces to quell unrest.

Papua, Indonesia`s easternmost province, is on the western half of New Guinea island it shares with Papua New Guinea.

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Fears for Indonesian backlash against families of Papuan refugees

Radio New Zealand International
Posted at 7:49pm on 23 Jan 2006

There are fears for the safety of families of the 43 Papuans seeking asylum in Australia who were left behind in the Indonesian province.

Shootings by the Indonesian military left one student dead and three injured in the Paniai area which is home to some of the asylum seekers who arrived in Australia last week and have now been shifted to Christmas Island for processing.

Denny Yomaki of the Human Rights group, Elsham, says while there is no link between the shootings and the asylum seekers, he fears there may be reprisals against families left behind.

A member of the International Commission of Jurors and refugee lawyer, Liz Biok, says the Australian government needs to realise the close surveillance the Indonesian military has in Papua.

"I've been in villages where you go into look at the local mayor's office, and they count the number of chickens and the number of cows that are in the village. They will know when people are missing. Australia nees to be aware that the Indonesian authorities will know whose gone. And so they will face a real risk if they're sent back. Their families will also be under risk at the moment."

Liz Biok of the ICJ.

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Australian officials halfway through initial inteviews of Papuan asylum seekers

Radio New Zealand International
Posted at 7:49pm on 23 Jan 2006

Australia's Immigration department says the initial interview process of 43 asylum seekers from the Indonesia province of Papua, who arrived in North Queensland last week, is underway.

The group of Papuans is being held on Christmas Island where their status and claims for refugee status are being assessed.

A spokesman for the Department of Immigration, Sandi Logan, says they can't say how long the interviewing will take, but each case will be decided on its merits.

"Well the initial interview process is halfway completed through the group of 43. Each of the group is now talking to Department of Immigration case managers but it is not our practice to provide a running commentary on our operations.."

Sandy Logan says Canberra has not given Indonesia any details about the asylum seekers.

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To read or search through the archives of the AWPA-Australia group, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AWPA-Australia/

To subscribe to this group (in case you got this forwarded), send an email to:
AWPA-Australia-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

20 January 2006

The Uniting Church has urged the Federal Government to take seriously the claims of the West Papuans who arrived in Cape York yesterday and ensure any allegations of human rights abuses are properly investigated.

Uniting Church President, the Rev. Dr Dean Drayton said while it was impossible to know the background of specific cases, many West Papuans continue to live in fear and face abuse in Indonesia.

“While we do not know the individual circumstances of these people, as long as there continue to be abuse and violence in West Papua, there is the possibility of groups arriving in Australia who have claims as refugees under the Refugee Convention.

“The Uniting Church’s experience in working in West Papua confirms that regular abuse and violence has occurred in recent years. The Uniting Church and its partner churches in the region have witnessed the effects of these abuses first hand.

“As a country we must take seriously any claims made by these people and ensure our response takes into account the on-going fear and abuse faced by many West Papuans in Indonesia”

Rev. Drayton said it was important that these asylum seekers were processed speedily and humanely, in line with our international obligations.

“The Government’s response to the arrival of these West Papuans will not only send a message about our treatment of asylum seekers – it will send a clear message about how, as a nation, we respond to human rights abuses in our own region.

“Ät the same time, it is critically important that the Australian Government continue express our concerns about the plight of indigenous people in West Papua..

“This is even more vital given that our Government is currently moving to negotiate a far-reaching treaty with Indonesia.

“We hope that the Government’s response to the arrival of these people will reflect Australia’s commitment to uphold the basic human rights of all people and our condemnation of human rights abuses as unacceptable.”

ENDS

Media Contact:
Gavin Melvin, Manager, National Media and Communication – 0417 416 674

There will be a gathering in Newcastle this Friday
night 27th January to demonstrate our support for
the 43 West Papuan asylum seekers and all the people
of West Papua. This vigil is being supported by The
Kindred Spirits social justice group, and will be
held at the Clocktower, Beaumont St, Hamilton,
7-8pm.

Throughout this week similar gatherings are being
organised by other West Papuan support groups around
Australia.

Whilst Kindred Spirits vigils are mainly silent, we
wish to allow for interaction/discussions with
passers-by who may have questions on this complex
issue. We plan to have a brief opening speech,
followed by a period of silence in respect of the
100,000+ West Papuans who have been killed under
Indonesian military rule.

Bring your own candles if you wish. We will provide
leaflets to hand out, and some placards/signs.
Please feel free to make your own signs -
suggestions for slogans include:

Save West Papuans from genocide

Let West Papuan refugees stay in Australia

Free West Papua

Please distribute this notice widely through other
support networks if you can.

Thank you and see you on Friday night.

Michael & Amanda Freund

"Free West Papua!" - "Papua Merdeka!"

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Australia West Papua Association (Newcastle)
PO Box 345, Adamstown, NSW 2289, Australia.
Home (02) 49 522388
Mobile 0421 152992 or 0402 143671
Email singsing1965@bigpond.com