1) Lombok Treaty test over West Papuan asylum seekers

1) Lombok Treaty test over West Papuan asylum seekers

2) Present Situation in Yapen: Papua Merdeka leaders arrested

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/223045/lombok-treaty-test-over-west-papuan-asylum-seekers

1) Lombok Treaty test over West Papuan asylum seekers

Updated at 6:04 am today

An academic has questioned whether Australia's Lombok Treaty with Indonesia will be damaged by the arrival of seven West Papuan asylum seekers in the Torres Strait.

The seven reportedly fled Merauke due to persecution by security forces since their involvement in the West Papua Freedom Flotilla campaign this month.

The group was detained on Tuesday by Australian Immigration officials and sent to Papua New Guinea Thursday night.

Jim Elmslie of Sydney University's West Papua Project says the situation tests the Lombok Treaty which provides that each country disallow activities in their own territory that constitute a threat to the sovereignty of the other.

"There were various accusations against Australia by allowing the flotilla to get organised here and set off from here that Australia was essentially allowing a group to challenge its sovereignty and support separatism and (West Papuan) independence. So you have to question whether the Lombok Treaty... how much damage it's sustained if you see these refugees as a direct consequence of the flotilla."

Jim Elmslie of Sydney University's West Papua Project.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2) Present Situation in Yapen: Papua Merdeka leaders arrested

This report was received from WPNA - West Papua National Action,

On 25 September 2013 we heard on Radio Republik Indonesia that the chief of police in Yapen had prohibited all Papuans in Yapen from taking part in a demonstration planned for 26 September

*    The police under the command of the head of Criminal Investigation [Kabag Reskrim Polres] arrested Edison Kendi (40 years old), a political leader of Papua Merdeka at his home at 8 pm. This action involved twenty policemen who were not dressed in their uniforms, together with two members of Kopassus. Some of the police were armed with M16s and pistols and were travelling in Avansa 2 vehicles, one of which was black and the other two were white, together with a patrol vehicle.

*    The police said that these people had been arrested because they had not been granted permission to undertake this action and moreover, the group in question is not registered  with the National and Political Unit as is required by the Law on Mass Organisations (Ormas) . They were intending to hand over the holy waters to the Aboriginal People from Torres  Straits and were accompanied by Drs Frans Kapisa

Edison Kenidi was arrested in accordance with a warrant issued by the police in Yapen and signed by the head of the unit.

Edison Kendi was  taken to police headquarters to be interrogated. This interrogation is still continuing.

Following the arrested of Edison Kendi, more police arrived in two trucks to search Edison's home, hoping to find evidence against him such as documents of Papua Merdeka. This happened late at night, at 10.22.

Furthermore:

On 26 September at 7.12 in the morning, the Yapen police force carried out sweepings and arrested  Demianus Buruni while he was on his way to the Serui Airport where he was intending to take part in welcoming Drs Frans Kapisa while was bringing the holy waters and dust from the Aboriginal people. The other reason for Demianus' arrest was that he was carrying a Morning Star flag. At the time of writing this report, Demianus was still being interrogated.

At 11.34, a joint force of the army and the police in Yapen led by the chief of the military unit and the chief of the police force went to the place where  the proceedings to hand over the holy waters and dust from Aboriginal people  in Mantembu were due to take place. The army and police also ordered the people there to disperse and to vacate the area where these activities were taking place. They also ordered the arrest of Dra Frans Kapisa  and Markus Yenu. Subsequently however, the local people were able to free these two men.

At the time of writing, the security forces were  on guard in the area where the command post of Papua Merdeka  in Kampung Mantebu is located.

[Translated by TAPOL]