West Papua action in Stroud

Saturday saw me join a number of Green party people in Stroud High Street to highlight the situation in West Papua. It was bucketing down rain and cold - and I admire Elinor who had been there since 10.30 in the morning until nearly 2pm collecting signatures and talking to anyone who would stop under an umbrella to talk.

Photos: Mayor John Marjoram, Martin Whiteside, Elinor Croxall and other Green party members

We were campaigning for West Papua's right to independence - it was on the same day in 1961 that the Dutch left West Papua and granted its people independence. West Papuans were able to celebrate their independence by raising their flag and singing their national anthem for only three months until Indonesia invaded and occupied the country. It then became illegal to fly the flag which can be seen in the photos of our action in Stroud.

Under Indonesian occupation between 100,000 and 300,000 West Papuans have been killed, and many others tortured raped and imprisoned. Despite this oppression West Papuans continue to campaign for their right to self determinations. This year the Indonesian military opened fire on a peaceful ceremony in a church and eight people remain in prison for raising the flag. In 2004 events on the 1st December resulted in the arrest of Filep Karma & Yusak Pakage who raised the Morning Star flag on a sports field in the grounds of Cenderwasih (Bird of Paradise) University as part of a peaceful prayer ceremony. For this “crime”, Filep & Yusak are now serving 15 & 10 year prison sentences and are suffering torture. Both are recognised by Amnesty International as prisoners of conscience.

Elinor Croxall who organised the event in Stroud (see news releaseand another photo here) said: “We are raising the Morning Star here in Stroud in solidarity with those in West Papua who face arrest, torture and indefinite imprisonment for doing the same in their home country.”

Elinor has also joined demonstrations in London outside the Indonesian Embassy and the offices of BP and Rio Tinto on Friday 31st December and said “There are a number of multinationals, including UK based companies, who are complicit in the forceful removal of West Papuans from their land and the brutality of the Indonesian military. I hope next year Stroud District Council will support the event and fly the Morning Star”.

Oxford Town Hall flew the flag this year in support of West Papua. Further information, including urgent actions following events in West Papua on the 1st December, can be found at www.freewestpapua.org

See Indonesian TV news of the attack on Kwamki Baru village here and here. Also look at photos here which show how many Indonesian police and military they sent to the church compound to break up the flag ceremony. Benny Wenda, a West Papuan Independence Leader who had been to Stroud last month for a public meeting (see more re that here), said: "This TV film and these photos show the truth of life for Papuans under Indonesian occupation. Is this what the Indonesians call "democracy"?! We have heard that the Indonesians are still holding 8 Papuans who raised the flag in Timika police station. Please pass on this news as much as possible and call for the Indonesians to release these peaceful protesters immediately. "

URGENT ACTION!

Please e-mail the Indonesian Embassy in London to express concerns: kbri@btconnect.com &/or phone: 020 74997661 (or from outside UK +44 (0) 20 74997661)