1) Election office burned down in West Papua

2) Press Release: West Papuan Independence Leader Benny Wenda visits Ghana

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http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/25/election-office-burned-down-west-papua.html

1) Election office burned  down in West Papua

Nethy Dharma Somba, thejakartapost.com, Jayapura, Papua | Archipelago | Fri, March 25 2016, 9:00 PM - 

The Kaimana Election Supervisory Committee (Panwas) office in West Papua was severely damaged by a fire of unknown origins on Thursday, coincidentally while the newly elected Kaimana regent and deputy regent, Mathias Mairuma and Ismail Sirfefa, were being inaugurated in Manokwari, the province’s capital.

Panwas Kaimana member Dominiq Amdu told thejakartapost.com that the fire had burned the front part of the Panwas building and its guest room. 

“Not all parts of the building were burned down. It’s only the front part of the building and the guest room that was damaged in the fire,” Dominiq said on Friday. 

“The cause of the fire is not yet known. It is unlikely that the fire was caused by a short circuit because the office’s electricity, supplied by a prepaid token system, had run out last Saturday,” said Dominiq. He said the Panwas had reported the incident to the Kaimana Police.

The Panwas Kaimana had rented and used the building since 2014. Dominiq said that since September 2015, the Panwas office had often been visited by demonstrators who protested its decision to recognize the candidate pair Mathias and Ismail as the legitimate Kaimana regent and deputy regent.

“The Kaimana General Elections Commission [KPUD] declared that Pak Mathias Mairuma and his running mate had failed to pass the screening process to become candidates in the 2015 Kaimana regent and deputy regent election. After conducting an investigation, the Panwas concluded there was no reason not to accept him and his running mate as Kaimana regent and deputy regent candidates,” said Dominiq.

The fire reportedly did not damage important election documents because following an increase in the number of protest rallies staged at the Panwas office, all important documents had been moved to more secure places.

“It is hoped that the police can find the perpetrators responsible for the attack,” said Dominiq, implying that arson was the cause of the fire.

Mairuma-Sirfefa was one of three candidate pairs, including Fredy Thie with Mohammad Lakutani and Hasan Achmad with Amos Oruw, who passed the screening tests to participate in the 2015 elections in the regency. (elf)

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2) Press Release: West Papuan Independence Leader Benny Wenda visits Ghana

MARCH 23, 2016

Chief Benny Wenda’s statement on his recent visit to Ghana.

 

The fortunes of the African revolution are closely linked with the world-wide struggle against imperialism. It does not matter where the battle erupts, be it in Africa, Asia or Latin America, the master-mind and master-hand at work are the same. The oppressed and exploited people are striving for their freedom against exploitation and suppression. Ghana must not, Ghana cannot be neutral in the struggle of the oppressed against the oppressor.

Kwame Nkrumah………………………

http://freewestpapua.org/2016/03/23/press-release-benny-wenda-visits-ghana/

Benny Wenda meeting with Pan African supporters of West Papua’s freedom

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