1) Embrace
Indonesia, but reject abuses
----------------------------------------------------
http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-editorial/culture-of-entitlement-exposes-rank-hypocrisy-20131007-2v4nj.html
The Age Editorial 8 Oct
1) Embrace Indonesia, but reject abuses
If Australia wants a fair and open relationship with Indonesia, as it should, and if Indonesia seeks the same of this nation, then it is incumbent on both countries to keep a firm eye on the issues that matter to their respective peoples. Trade and investment should be ranked highly, being necessary engines for stronger economies, but without proper attention to human rights considerations we risk indulging each other with false smiles.
The Age is concerned about the treatment the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, has indicated his government will afford to anyone protesting about conditions in the provinces of West Papua. Mr Abbott has said his government takes ''a very dim view indeed of anyone seeking to use our country as a platform for grandstanding against Indonesia [and] we will do everything that we possibly can to discourage this and to prevent this''. He says that ''on the subject of sovereignty, we're fair dinkum about doing what we can to help Indonesia in every way''.
Mr Abbott seems to think, wrongly, that his government is obliged to stifle dissent against a friendly neighbour. He is overreaching on this, and unnecessarily so. It is up to Indonesia to deal with political dissent within its borders, but when its response involves human rights abuses - as has occurred too often in Papua and West Papua - Australia should be strong enough to voice its objection and not pass it over as none of our business. Human rights are an international responsibility. If the Abbott government believes it should remain officially silent on such matters, then it surrenders any right to impose silence on others who do protest.
Successive Australian governments have ignored evidence of human rights abuses in Indonesia, to our shame. Yet a stock check of violence wrought by Indonesian forces on political protesters in West Papua includes multiple shootings, torture, disappearances and detention. Rarely is there any official investigation, let alone accountability.
Indonesia deserves credit for its substantial reforms of recent years, but we cannot measure respect for human rights in relative terms. If Indonesia falls short of our standards, it fails to meet world standards. When we agree to shut down political dissent, we risk being complicit in whatever else might follow.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Media Release Bishop must explain conflicting reports of West Papua incident: Greens
Media Release
Dr Richard Di Natale
Australian Greens Senator for Victoria
08/10/2013
Bishop must explain conflicting reports of West Papua incident: Greens
Australian Greens spokesperson for West Papua, Senator Richard Di Natale, today has written to the Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to request a full account of the events relating to three West Papuans entering the Australian Consulate in Bali over the weekend.
“Given that the lives of three West Papuans were potentially put at risk by the actions of the Australian Consulate over the weekend, it’s crucial that we get to the bottom of conflicting reports about what actually took place,” said Senator Di Natale, founding co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of West Papua group.
“One of the West Papuans has claimed himself on ABC radio that the consulate threatened to call in the Indonesian authorities, an action that would likely have resulted in his imprisonment and possible torture. This claim has been supported by Dr Clinton Fernandez, a respected academic and expert on the region, and by sources in Indonesia who claim to have overheard what happened over an open phone line.
“Julie Bishop and Andrew Robb have both insisted that the West Papuans left the consulate voluntarily. The Department of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement to the same effect but they have refused to specifically rule out whether a threat to contact the Indonesian authorities was made.
“We must resolve this very serious matter. I want to know if Australian officials were willing to put the lives of these men at risk in order to avoid a diplomatic incident.
“Today I’ve written to the Foreign Minister to request detailed documentation regarding what took place, including any advice provided to the consulate by the government or DFAT and any written reports from the consulate about the incident.
“If the government fails to release all the information requested before parliament resumes then I will be moving a Senate motion for the production of documents at the earliest possible date.”
Contact: Andrew Blyberg - 0457 901 600
---------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Papua 'stunt' angers senator
The Abbott government has imperilled its future relationship with key crossbench senator John Madigan - whose vote it may need to pass legislation - by its handling of the West Papua protest in Bali.
The Democratic Labour Party senator, a supporter of West Papuan rights, was furious over a story on News Ltd websites on Monday claiming he had warned Prime Minister Tony Abbott of a planned Papuan protest at Australia's consulate in Bali.
He believed the Prime Minister's office was the source of the story and that its intention was to discredit him by making him appear too closely involved with the West Papuan rights movement.
Advertisement
''The ALP never pulled a stunt like this in the two years and three months I've been in the Senate,'' he said. ''I tell you, they're not off to a good start with me.''
Asked whether it would tarnish his future dealings with the Abbott government, he said: ''Well it doesn't bode well, does it? How would you feel?
''From now on, anything they say to me is going to be viewed with highest suspicion. Nothing will be taken at face value.''
Senator Madigan's vote could be crucial for the Abbott government to pass key legislation through the Senate including scrapping the carbon and mining taxes.
Senator Madigan was also angry at the government's handling of an incident in which three Papuan men scaled the wall of the Australian consulate in Bali early Sunday morning to demand Australia back greater political freedoms.
He said that he called Mr Abbott only after the news had broken about the three men entering the consulate grounds, once at 7.54am Melbourne/Sydney time and again at 10.20am.
Mr Abbott called him back at 2.34pm and left a message for Senator Madigan saying the Australian government did not support such ''grandstanding'' over the West Papua issue and that Australia absolutely supported Indonesian sovereignty over the province.
Mr Abbott's spokesman did not dispute the time of those calls but declined to comment further.
------------------------------------------------------------------
4) NT support for West Papuan activists
ALISON BEVEGE | October 6th, 2013
Territory supporters gathered outside a barber shop near the Nightcliff Markets to voice their fears about human rights in West Papua. Picture: HELEN ORR
TERRITORIANS have turned out in support of three West Papuan students who entered Australia's consulate in Bali and pleaded with the Federal Government to take up their cause.
A small number of dedicated supporters gathered outside a barber shop near the Nightcliff Markets to voice their fears about human rights in the troubled Indonesian province that lies to Australia's north just above the Torres Strait.
West Papuans have been fleeing to Australia in recent weeks.
There have been reports of an unconfirmed number now being held in Darwin detention centres.
Billee McGinley, 38, of Ludmilla said West Papuans face the possibility of torture at home.
"It's a huge human rights issue,'' she said. "They have a right to seek asylum here.''
RELATED COVERAGE
YOUR SAY
"It is good to see some top-end Aussies helping the voice of the West Papuan people be heard. Indonesia's claim to half of the island of New Guinea was never legitimate and has been contested by the people who were never consulted ever since it happened. Australia is very much involved in the shameful handover, and therefore the tens of thousands who have died since under the Indonesian state's security forces. We should be loudly protesting so that we and UN member states address this injustice"
Peter Woods
Peter Woods
Three West Papuan activists, students Rofinus Yanggam, Yuvensius Goo and Markus Jerewon climbed the wall of the Australian consulate in the early hours of this morning.
They brought a letter addressed to the Australian people asking Prime Minister Tony Abbott to push the Indonesian government to release at least 55 political prisoners jailed in West Papua.
They also asked for foreign diplomats, journalists, observers and tourists to be allowed into West Papua without special permits.
"We want these leaders to persuade the Indonesian government to treat Papuan people better. Human right abuse [sic] are our routine,'' the letter said.
The letter did not ask for independence from Indonesia.
West Papuan academic Dr Clinton Fernandes said Australia's Consul-General in Bali, Brett Farmer, threatened to expel the three men telling them to leave or he'd call the Indonesian police, ABC news reported.
Darwin protester Vaughn Williams was outraged.
"If Brett Farmer doesn't provide protection for these brave people he should be sacked,'' he said.
Australia is now bound by the Lombok Treaty with Indonesia which prevents activities in Australia that constitute a threat to Indonesia's sovereignty, such as West Papuan separatism.
Legal experts say the terms of the Lombok treaty are loosely drafted and open to interpretation making it easy for misunderstandings between the nations.
Last week Prime Minister Tony Abbott assured Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that he would not tolerate "grandstanding'' by West Papuan activists.
Mr Abbott is due in Bali tomorrow for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' summit.
Independent Senator Nick Xenophon called on Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to grant sanctuary for the activists.
West Papua became part of Indonesia in the 1960s. Large numbers of Indonesian Muslims have moved to the province which was formerly populated by Melanesians who mostly follow Christianity or traditional animist beliefs.
Thousands of refugees have since fled to neighbouring Papua New Guinea, claiming persecution and human rights abuses.
Amnesty International said peaceful political activism is highly restricted in the Indonesian territory.
Waving a West Papuan morning star flag is considered treason and results in lengthy jail terms.
Asylum seeker group DASSAN spokeswoman Fernanda Dahlstrom said she held grave fears for any West Papuans being held by Australia.
"If they are returned to PNG they are in danger of being deported to Indonesia because of the extradition treaty,'' she said.
West Papuans fleeing to Australia risk being sent to Papua New Guinea for processing and resettlement like other asylum seekers.
But Papua New Guinea signed an extradition treaty with Indonesia in June that puts the refugees at risk of being deported back to the country they fled from.
The treaty was signed just one month before former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the deal to send asylum seekers to Papua New Guinea.
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has refused to answer repeated questions on how many West Papuans are now in detention in Darwin or whether they risk being sent to Papua New Guinea.
A source who cannot be identified said there are at least four in detention in Darwin now.
Channel Nine News footage caught one melanesian man disembarking a Customs vessel in Darwin two weeks ago.
It is not known whether any of the West Papuans have seen a lawyer.
Ms Dahlstrom said DASSAN could send free lawyers in to the West Papuans if only they knew their names but the Immigration Department and the Minister both refuse to answer questions.
The issue of West Papua has always been delicate for Australia and Indonesia.
In 2006 Australia, under the leadership of Prime Minister John Howard, granted asylum to 42 Papuans.
The move caused a furious reaction from Indonesia which recalled its ambassador and accused Australia of giving tacit support to the Papuan separatist movement.
*** PLEASE READ the Rules of our forums before commenting ***
--------------------------------------------
5) Letter in SMH Violence in West Papua
Violence in West Papua
I hope the West Papuan students who entered the Bali consulate did leave voluntarily (''Protesters breach consulate walls in protest about torture'', October 7). Some reports have indicated they were told they would be handed over to the Indonesian military if they did not leave. Budi Hernawan's study on torture in West Papua by the security forces is enough to raise grave concerns about such a threat were it given by consular staff.
On his first visit to Indonesia as Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the ''government of Australia takes a very dim view, a very dim view indeed, of anyone seeking to use our country as a platform for grandstanding against Indonesia. We will do everything that we possibly can to discourage this and to prevent this.'' I hope this is not a threat to human rights activists who might try to raise concerns about the ongoing human rights abuses in West Papua.
Joe Collins Australia West Papua Association, Mosman
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-letters/greedy-mps-should-look-to-volunteers-for-ethical-guidance-20131007-2v49p.html#ixzz2h4Qtz8eB
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.