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INFO PAPUA : Awareness : Press Releases

TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
By TAPOL
Mar 20, 2008, 22:46

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TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
20 March 2008

STATEMENT ON CRACKDOWN IN WEST PAPUA AGAINST
FLAG-RAISERS

According to latest reports from West Papua, more than
a dozen Papuans have been arrested for taking part in peacefully unfurling their flag, the Morning Star (Kejora), some or all of whom are likely to be charged for
rebellion (makar). The arrests were made following a
series of protest demonstrations in Manokwari and Jayapura against Presidential Decree PP77 which makes it illegal to unfurl regional flags not only in West Papua but
in other parts of the country as well.

The peaceful demonstration on 13 March in Manokwari
was organised by the
West Papua National Authority (WPNA) and the Greater
Manokwari Student
Executive Council (Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa, BEM).

Following the enactment of the Decree, eleven Papuans
were arrested in
Manokwari on 13 March for flying the kejora in protest
against the Decree.
More arrests were reported on 19 March when the police
took four people
into custody in Jayapura for raising flags and for
disturbing security.

According to a report in the Jayapura newspaper,
Cenderawasih Pos on 16
March, the regional police chief of Papua,
Inspector-General Max Donald,
said that the police would be taking action against
those who unfurled the
kejora flag in Manokwari and elsewhere.

The eleven persons arrested in Manokwari are:

Jack Wanggai, spokesperson of the West Papua National
Authority,
Frans Kareth, lecturer in economics,
Markus Solig Umpes,
Edy Ayorbaba,
Daniel Sakwatorey,
Marthinus Luther,
Noak AP
George Rasyard Ayorbaba,
Ariel Werimon,
Leonardus Decky Bame,
Silas Carlos Teves May, aged 16 years.

Yan Christian Warinussy, Executive Director of LP3BH,
the legal aid
organisation in Manokwari, announced on 14 March that
they have set up a
Team of Lawyers for Human Rights for the Papuan People
to defend the first
two persons named above who have been subjected to
intensive interrogation
by the police. In the case of Jack Wanggai, the
interrogation which was
accompanied by threats to kidnap members of his
family, focused on the
purposes of the WPNA and the reasons for organising
the demonstration on 13
March.

The four persons arrested by the police in Jayapura
are:

Zakarias Horota,
Elias Weah,
Ester Dolorus Tapnesa,
Abu Mari

They too have been charged with rebellion and with
disturbing security.

TAPOL strongly condemns these arrests and believes
that they represent a
grave infringement of the freedom of expression and
the right to engage in
peaceful protest.

TAPOL also condemns the enactment of presidential
decree PP77 which makes
it an offence to unfurl regional flags.

Carmel Budiardjo of TAPOL said: 'The enactment of PP77
which makes it an
offence to unfurl a flag can only trigger renewed
protest among Papuans.
This decree can further exacerbate the sense of
injustice that has swept
across West Papua since the beginning of the month.'

TAPOL calls for the lifting of charges of rebellion
that have been laid
against some of those arrested and calls for the
unconditional release of
all those now in police custody.

It also calls for the repeal of PP77 which is in
flagrant violation of the
right to engage in the peaceful action of raising a
regional flag.

END

TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon CR7 8HW,
UK.
tel +44 (0)20 8771 2904 fax +44 (0)20 8653 0322
tapol@gn.apc. org http://tapol. gn.apc.org

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