2) Groundswell of support for West Papua in time for Forum Leaders Meeting
3) Police arrest six demonstrators in Papua
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http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=367256
1) Change of mood on West Papua issue
Fiji Times
AVINESH GOPAL Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Update: 12:23PM PACIFIC Islands Association of NGOs executive director Emele Duituturaga says the groundswell of support for West Papua across the region is the ideal build up to the upcoming Forum Leaders meeting in Federated States of Micronesia.
Ms Duituturaga made the comments after presenting the issue of West Papua to the Regional Civil Society Forum in Suva last week.
"There is definitely a change of mood across the Pacific on this issue as they begin to understand the severity of the human rights abuses and violence faced by West Papuans and the colonial history," she said in a statement today.
"Our CSO forum heard of issues raised in national consultations and what other CSO partners had echoed and we were pleased to hear that there is widespread support from CSO partners across the region for this as a priority regional issue.
"So it is heartening to see West Papua under the list of initiatives for leaders consideration in the summary of recommendations compiled by the Forum Specialist Sub-Committee on Regionalism."
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2) Groundswell of support for West Papua in time for Forum Leaders Meeting
PINA News
| 7:13 pm GMT+12, 16/08/2016, Fiji |
Duituturaga made the comments after presenting the issue of West Papua to the Regional Civil Society Forum in Suva, last week.
“There is definitely a change of mood across the Pacific on this issue as they begin to understand the severity of the human rights abuses and violence faced by West Papuans and the colonial history,” Duituturaga said.
“Our CSO forum heard of issues raised in national consultations and what other CSO partners had echoed and we were pleased to hear that there is widespread support from CSO partners across the region for this as a priority regional issue.”
“So it is heartening to see West Papua under the list of initiatives for leaders’ consideration in the summary of recommendations compiled by the Forum Specialist Sub-Committee on Regonalism,” Duituturaga said.
West Papua is one of the six initiatives listed for leaders’s consideration and has been again reiterated by the Foreign Ministers meeting as one of the agenda items for leaders to consider at the September meeting.
“The Pacific Coalition on West Papua was set up by Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Sogovare after the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) meeting to expand the advocacy network on the issue of West Papua from within the bounds of the Melanesian bloc to the greater Pacific Region to lobby for support for its resolve to take up the issue to the United Nations for intervention.”
“Polynesian leaders through the initiative of the Tongan Prime Minister are also mobilising their support after a meeting in Tahiti where they discussed this issue,” she said.
Duituturaga said civil society in the Pacific are looking forward to seeing West Papua on the agenda for the Forum Leaders meeting next month.
PIANGO will be organising a CSO Roundtable in Pohnpei prior to the Leaders meeting, at which the issue of West Papua will discussed as part of the broader decolonisation and self-determination agenda for the Pacific.
SOURCE: PIANGO/PACNEWS
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Pina news
3) Police arrest six demonstrators in Papua
| 7:57 pm GMT+12, 15/08/2016, Indonesia |
launched by the National Committee for West Papua (KNPB) on Monday.
“We arrested a number of KNPB members, but we can’t confirm their identities yet,” Jayapura City Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Tober Sirait told Antara. “We’re still handling the situation on the field and haven’t received an official report on the arrested protesters.”
The protesters were arrested after allegedly burning tires, vandalising vendors' kiosks and cutting trees along the street. The incident caused traffic jams, and many shop owners closed their business for the day.
The incident started when protesters orated in a low-cost apartment area. Later, the mob continued their rally to a shopping center where protest coordinators gave their speeches, until police redirected the traffic flow to prevent a severe traffic jam.
KNPB spokesperson Bazoka Logo denied the allegation, saying that the anarchistic mob was unknown.
“We don't know who the arsonists were. It's definitely not us, because KNPB members who rallied around the Waena housing complex had been arrested. And then there were people burning [tires and kiosks]. The next KNPB members rallied with police escorts,” Bazoka told Jubi on Monday.
The mob also blocked the street by spreading rocks and bottles. The Police's Mobile Brigade combed the area searching for people running from the housing complex entrance. Several fires were shot.
Meanwhile, the Australia West Papua Association says its condemns the arrest of over 50 KNPB activists leading up to the commemoration of the New York Agreement, signed on the 15th August in 1962.
The agreement helped pave the way to the United Nations Act of Free Choice in 1969, giving Indonesia control of the provinces, which many Papuans say was undemocratic and a betrayal.
The AWPA said the 50 activists were arrested while handing out leaflets informing people of peaceful rallies to be held today to commemorate the event.
Although the activists had been released they were originally taken to the Jayapura Police Station where they were photographed and had their details taken.
A spokesperson for the group, Joe Collins, said he was concerned there would be a repeat of more mass arrests at peaceful rallies which in the recent past have also included shootings of innocent people.
A spokesperson for the KNPB Centre said they would continue to hold a peaceful demonstration today despite the arrests, while the AWPA said it would stand in solidarity with the West Papuan people at an event at the Sydney Town Hall today.
SOURCE: TEMPCO/RNZI/PACNEWS
“We arrested a number of KNPB members, but we can’t confirm their identities yet,” Jayapura City Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Tober Sirait told Antara. “We’re still handling the situation on the field and haven’t received an official report on the arrested protesters.”
The protesters were arrested after allegedly burning tires, vandalising vendors' kiosks and cutting trees along the street. The incident caused traffic jams, and many shop owners closed their business for the day.
The incident started when protesters orated in a low-cost apartment area. Later, the mob continued their rally to a shopping center where protest coordinators gave their speeches, until police redirected the traffic flow to prevent a severe traffic jam.
KNPB spokesperson Bazoka Logo denied the allegation, saying that the anarchistic mob was unknown.
“We don't know who the arsonists were. It's definitely not us, because KNPB members who rallied around the Waena housing complex had been arrested. And then there were people burning [tires and kiosks]. The next KNPB members rallied with police escorts,” Bazoka told Jubi on Monday.
The mob also blocked the street by spreading rocks and bottles. The Police's Mobile Brigade combed the area searching for people running from the housing complex entrance. Several fires were shot.
Meanwhile, the Australia West Papua Association says its condemns the arrest of over 50 KNPB activists leading up to the commemoration of the New York Agreement, signed on the 15th August in 1962.
The agreement helped pave the way to the United Nations Act of Free Choice in 1969, giving Indonesia control of the provinces, which many Papuans say was undemocratic and a betrayal.
The AWPA said the 50 activists were arrested while handing out leaflets informing people of peaceful rallies to be held today to commemorate the event.
Although the activists had been released they were originally taken to the Jayapura Police Station where they were photographed and had their details taken.
A spokesperson for the group, Joe Collins, said he was concerned there would be a repeat of more mass arrests at peaceful rallies which in the recent past have also included shootings of innocent people.
A spokesperson for the KNPB Centre said they would continue to hold a peaceful demonstration today despite the arrests, while the AWPA said it would stand in solidarity with the West Papuan people at an event at the Sydney Town Hall today.
SOURCE: TEMPCO/RNZI/PACNEWS
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