1) Papuans
Occupy Australian Bali Consulate Ahead of APEC
2) Government must grant sanctuary to West
Papuans: Greens
3)
Government must grant sanctuary to West Papuans: Greens
4) Press Release: Senator Madigan demands Australian action on West
Papua
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http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/papuans-occupy-australian-bali-consulate-ahead-of-apec/
1) Papuans Occupy Australian Bali Consulate Ahead of APEC
Sydney. Three Papuan activists occupied the Australian consulate in Bali overnight, calling for Jakarta to be pressured on human rights ahead of the APEC leaders’ summit on the Indonesian island, lawmakers said on Sunday.
The trio, named by Australia’s left-leaning Greens party as Markus Jerewon, Yuvensius Goo and Rofinus Yanggam, reportedly scaled the mission’s walls to get inside.
“They are simply calling for independent journalists to be granted access to the region and for West Papuan political prisoners to be released,” said Greens Senator Richard Di Natale, chair of a parliamentary Friends of West Papua group.
“They are not seeking independence.”
Australia’s foreign office said “three individuals from Indonesia’s Papua provinces delivered a protest letter at the Australian Consulate-General in Bali this morning to Australia’s Consul-General,” making no mention of their method of arrival.
“The three men left the Consulate voluntarily before 7am,” a foreign office spokesman told AFP.
Australian Associated Press said the men were persuaded to move on despite earlier saying they were seeking refuge and feared for their safety if forced to leave the embassy.
The incident came ahead of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s arrival in Bali for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ summit which will be held on Monday.
According to a handwritten letter from the Alliance of Papua Students trio, cited by AAP, the men demanded that Abbott, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US Secretary of State John Kerry pressure Indonesia on Papuan rights.
“We want these leaders to persuade the Indonesian government to treat Papuan people better,” the letter said, demanding the release of political prisoners.
“These political prisoners committed no crime. They are explicitly committed to non-violence. The Indonesian government arrested and jailed them for discussing their political human rights beliefs.”
The men also called for the international press to be allowed into Papua, where armed militants have for decades fought an insurgency on behalf of the mostly ethnic Melanesian population in Papua.
Indonesian security forces have repeatedly faced allegations of torturing political activists in the restive province.
The men ended their letter saying “we seek refuge and plead for our safety”, but AAP said they were convinced to end their protest and vacate the embassy.
Agence France-Presse
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2) Xenophon demands Papuan trio explanation
Independent senator Nick Xenophon says West Papuan activists were "effectively threatened" to leave the Australian consulate in Bali ahead of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's arrival for the APEC summit.
Senator Xenophon is demanding an immediate explanation for the departure of the three men, after they scaled a wall into the mission early on Sunday morning.
He alerted AAP to the incident after being contacted by human rights groups.
It's understood Australian officials persuaded the trio - Rofinus Yanggam, Markus Jerewon and
Yuvensius Goo - to leave the consulate about 7am local time.
The three men were calling for international journalists to be allowed into the troubled Papuan
provinces and for the release of at least 55 political prisoners from Indonesian jails, including
Filep Karma, who has been jailed for 15 years in Abepura prison.
The security breach came ahead of Mr Abbott's arrival for the APEC leaders' summit on Sunday.
Senator Xenophon called on Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to provide a detailed timeline and explanation of what occurred.
"These three young men were not asking for West Papuan independence from Indonesia.
All they were asking for is entirely consistent with the Lombok Treaty of 2006, signed by both Australia and Indonesia," he said.
"Instead of getting sanctuary and help, the Australian government effectively threatened them and
now there is serious concern over the activists' safety."
Senator Xenophon's calls were backed by Professor Clinton Fernandes of the University of NSW, who has written extensively on West Papua and the Australian/Indonesian relationship.
He said when the media circus had moved on after APEC, the trio "may be tried, most certainly they will be beaten, and at some point might be disappeared".
Mr Yanggam told the Guardian Australia he left the consulate in fear for his life after the consul-general,
Brett Farmer, told them the Indonesian police and army would be called.
"They told us: 'We don't accept you to stay here. If you stay here for five minutes, I will call the Indonesian army to come and take you out'," Mr Yanggam said.
"I know that if I am arrested then my life will be over. So better to get out now."
In a letter addressed to the Australian people, the trio said they wanted Mr Abbott,
apanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US Secretary of State John Kerry to stand up for Papuan rights.
"We want these leaders to persuade the Indonesian government to treat Papuan people better," the handwritten letter said.
Many of their colleagues had tried to have their voices heard but had ended up in prison, they said.
"These political prisoners committed no crime. They are explicitly committed to non-violence,"
the letter said.
"The Indonesian government arrested and jailed them for discussing their political human rights beliefs."
The trio ended the letter with a plea for help.
"We seek refuge and plead for our safety."
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the trio had left the consulate "voluntarily"
at 7am Bali time after delivering a protest letter.
Interim Labor leader Chris Bowen said he had full confidence that the consul-general and Australian
officials were acting appropriately.
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http://greensmps.org.au/content/media-releases/government-must-grant-sanctuary-west-papuans-greens
3) Government must grant sanctuary to West Papuans: Greens
Markus Jerewon, Yuvensius Goo and Rofinus Yanggam entered the Australian Consulate in Bali last night and have released an open letter to the APEC leaders currently meeting in Bali.
“These young West Papuans must be given sanctuary in the Australian Consulate,” said Senator Di Natale, founding co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of West Papua Group.
“They are simply calling for independent journalists to be granted access to the region and for West Papuan political prisoners to be released. They are not seeking independence and their position is entirely consistent with Australia's response to the review of the Lombok treaty.
“By speaking out in this way, these brave West Papuans have put their lives in serious danger. If Australia fails to offer them protection, I have grave fears for their safety.
“I will be taking this matter up with the Foreign Minister and will contact the Australian Consul-General in Bali to request that the activists are not forced out of the consulate and handed over to the Indonesian Police.
“The Australian Greens and human rights groups have long advocated for free access by the media to West Papua and for the release of political prisoners. The Abbott Government must take a stand and do the same.”
Contact: Andrew Blyberg - 0457 901 600
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http://www.johnmadigan.com.au/press-release-senator-madigan-demands-australian-action-on-west-papua/
4) Press Release: Senator Madigan demands Australian action on West Papua
October 6, 2013 By
Senator John Madigan has demanded that the Australian government provide sanctuary for three West Papuan men who scaled the wall of the Australian consulate in Bali earlier this morning, saying that if they are handed over to Indonesian authorities they will never be heard of or seen again.
“These three young men are not calling for independence, all they are asking for is to be treated as human beings,” Senator Madigan said.
“I fully support their calls for international journalists, diplomats and observers to be able to visit West Papua freely without asking for special permits and it’s about time Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop supported these calls as well.
“If the Australian government allows the Indonesian authorities to take possession of these men they will be tortured and most probably killed, like many before them.
“I’ve personally tried to contact Mr Abbott this morning to ensure the Australian government is doing everything it can to ensure their safety, however he is yet to respond to my calls.
“It is about time our government had the courage to stand up to Indonesia, instead of ignoring the issue of West Papuan oppression and the human rights abuses that occur there on a daily basis.”
In an open letter, the three men – Markus Jerewon, Yuvensius Goo, and Rofinus Yanggam – also called on the Abbott government to pressure Indonesia to release all Papuan political prisoners.
Prior to scaling the consulate wall Mr Yanggam told a journalist that “the Indonesian army is killing our families, and taking them to jail. This is the best thing we can do in order to expose the situation in Papua. We want to survive”.
Senator Madigan has been a long-term supporter of the West Papuan people, having most recently attended an August rally held outside of Indonesia’s Melbourne consulate.
It is estimated that more than 200,000 West Papuans have been murdered or incarcerated by the Indonesian military.
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