Media release -Six KNPB activists arrested and beaten

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

Media release 4 July 2014

Six KNPB activists arrested and beaten

The KNPB has reported that a six of their activists were arrested, beaten and taken to the Jayapura Police Station yesterday afternoon, 3 July. The six activists are Ono Balingga, Hakul Kobak, Yandri Heselo, Gesman Tabuni, Ronal Wenda. The name of the sixth activist is not known at this stage.

They were arrested simply because they were distributing leaflets calling on the West Papuan people to boycott the presidential election on the 9th July.

 Local media has reported that In Timika the Police were also searching for people who distributed leaflets urging voters to boycott the  9th July  presidential election and demanding a referendum.

“A group led by Teni Kwalik is behind it because he made a statement calling for the boycott of the presidential election,” Mimika Police Deputy Chief Commissioner Wirasto Adi Nugroho said on Tuesday (1/7) in Timika, and “we have advised the local people to report to the police when they have any information, so we can arrest the perpetrators,” he said (Jubi)

He further said police had erased the graffiti and destroyed the leaflets to avoid public unrest. Nugroho said the situation of Mimika Regency is relatively still favorable.

Joe Collins of AWPA (Sydney) said,  "the security forces appear to be targeting any civil society groups who are calling for a boycott of the presidential election and are deploying over 300 police and soldiers for security during the election" 

The Puncak Jaya Police chief, adjunct commissioner major (Pol) Marselis Sarimin, said “Yes, they have been called up to secure the presidential election from any disruption by certain groups that exist in Puncak Jaya region and other regions", (1/7).

The Papua police chief, General Inspector, Tito Karnavian  is also reported to have said, the security forces have shifted a number of troops to the areas that are considered vulnerable to security disturbances. The prone regions are Indonesia-PNG border, Lanny Jaya, Puncak Jaya, Yapen, Paniai, Tolikara, and Jayawijaya regencies. 

Joe Collins said, "although the recent celebration of the 1 July by a number of civil society groups went of peacefully (On 1st of July in 1971, West Papuan leaders Brig. Gen. Seth Rumkorem and Jacob Prai  made a proclamation of independence) , the arrest of the KNPB activists indicate the security forces are taking the possibility of any  activities by civil society groups around the presidential election very seriously". 

Three members of KNPB were also arrested on the 30th June. 1. ELON AIRABO 2. JONI Korwa 3. LEO WARSEI 

Ends