Media release-CHOGM leaders should condemn the brutal crackdown on the West Papuan people

Press Release West Papua

The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

CHOGM leaders should condemn the brutal crackdown on the West Papuan people

24 October 2011

AWPA is calling on the CHOGM leaders (who will meet in Perth) to condemn the brutal crackdown on the West Papuan people .

In a bid to make CHOGM relevant the Commonwealth leaders will discuss a special eminent persons' report on renewing the organisation. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said talks will focus on "the role of the Commonwealth in the age in which we live and how we can strengthen it for the future"

The report warns the Commonwealth must "focus fresh attention on violations of human, political and civil rights if it is to continue to command attention on behalf of its member states and retain the respect of its own people".

Joe Collins of AWPA said "obviously CHOGM will focus on its own member states however, many of the CHOGM countries are regional neighbours of Indonesia and some like Australia and New Zealand help train and aid the Indonesian security forces. Human rights should be universal and organisations such as CHOGM should make a statement of concern about the human rights situation in West Papua. If enough pressure is put on Indonesian it may hold its military to account for human rights abuses.

Background

At the end of the 3rd Papua People`s Congress the delegates raised the West Papuan national flag, the Morning Star flag. The security forces immediately began fireing live rounds to disperse the assembly. Six people were killed.

up to 300 hundred were arrested and many were beaten by the security forces with batons, bamboo poles and the butts of their rifles

Six delegates have been charged with treason.