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West Papuans Mark Death of Free West Papua: Refugees protest at Indonesian Consulate
by freewestpapua
Monday August 14, 2006 at 10:53 PM
freepapua_pacifica@nym.hush.com 0409 268 978
Tomorrow, the West Papuans in Australia will mark the handing over of West Papua to Indonesia 44 years ago on August 15, 1962.
“Everything happening currently in West Papua is because of this event, because of the failure of the international community to give the people of West Papua meaningful self determination,”
FREE WEST PAPUA CAMPAIGN (Melbourne)
http://www.freewestpapua.com
MEDIA RELEASE - MEDIA RELEASE - MEDIA RELEASE - MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release: 14th August, 2006.
West Papuans Mark Death of Free West Papua
Refugees protest at Indonesian Consulate
Tomorrow, on the day that the Australian Senate debates the Border Protection Bill, the West Papuans in Australia will mark the handing over of West Papua to Indonesia 44 years ago on August 15, 1962.
“Everything happening currently in West Papua is because of this event, because of the failure of the international community to give the people of West Papua meaningful self determination,” said Free West Papua spokesperson Nick Chesterfield.
“It is a very significant day for the people of West Papua. Protests are occuring in many places across West Papua today also.”
The protesters will meet at the GPO in Melbourne at 12 pm and then head to the Indonesian Consulate, where they will raise the independence flag of West Papua, the Morning Star. West Papuan refugees will also conduct ceremonies and dances in traditional clothing.
On August 15 1962 the US, the Dutch and Indonesia brokered the 'New York Agreement' to hand over West Papua to the Republic of Indonesia. The people of West Papua were never consulted at any stage. After 1962 the Indonesians commenced a campaign of intimidation and violence in West Papua that culminated in the ‘Act of No Choice’, a sham plebiscite of only 1026 voters that led to the permanent appropriation of West Papua by Indonesia.
There are currently over 40 000 Indonesian troops in West Papua, which has a population of less than 2.8 million. The Indonesian army have employed genocidal tactics to maintain its stranglehold on West Papua, and has been responsible for scores of internationally documented cases of killings, imprisonment and torture of West Papuan people.
For media comment:
Herman Wainggai (on the day) 0407 422 413
Nick Chesterfield 0409 268 978
w w w . f r e e w e s t p a p u a . c o m
www.freewestpapua.com
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