Photos of protest outside Indonesian Consulate in Sydney (2nd May)

                      Photos of protest outside Indonesian Consulate in Sydney (2nd May)

A snap rally outside the Indonesian Consulate was called by supporters of West Papua in Sydney.  The rally was in response to the brutal arrest of 200 West Papuans (many beaten) including a Jubi journalist in Sentani Jayapura.

On the 1st May in 1963 Indonesia took over the administration of West Papua from United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) and 54 years later the West Papuan people still continue their struggle for self-determination.  Every year West Papuans commemorate and protest this tragic betrayal of the West Papuan people by the international community.  The rally planned to commemorate  (and reject) Indonesia’s takeover of West Papua was to take place in Sentani, Jayapura.  However, the police arrived and destroyed a stage that had been set up for the rally. The security forces entered the KNPB secretariat and removed Morning Star flags and documents. 

Supporters also called on the Indonesian Government to open West Papua to journalists. Its ironic that as Indonesia hosts World Press Freedom Day they are again cracking down on the West Papuan people, on their right to free speech and freedom of assembly. Rallies are being held around the world in support of media freedom in West Papua. Indonesia ranks 124 out of 180 on the Reporters Without Borders media freedom  index.