Indonesian security forces crackdown on peaceful rallies

 Update from Jubi report. 

16 activists from the KNPB were beaten by the police

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AWPA Statement 15 August 2023

Indonesian security forces crackdown on peaceful rallies in West Papua

West Papuan activists took to the streets today, calling on the UN to review the New York Agreement which was brokered by the US on the  15 August in 1962 when the Papuan people were betrayed by the international community. 

The Indonesian security forces have cracked -down on the  peaceful rallies with demonstrators attacked , many  receiving head wounds. The security forces also used water cannons the the demonstrators 

https://www.facebook.com/KNPBNwes

 

Joe Collins of AWPA said, “ our politicians like to remind us how Indonesian is now a democracy but West Papuans don’t live in a democracy. It can never be emphasised enough to our politicians that everybody has a right to freedom of speech and assembly.  Hopefully, the Pacific Leaders are taking note of the human rights abuses in the territory and will raise the abuses again at the UN as they have in the past”. 

At this stage rallies appear to be ongoing. 

Ends

Jubi

https://jubi.id/polhukam/2023/gelar-demonstrasi-knpb-minta-perjanjian-new-york-ditinjau-kembali/

Dozens of KNPB activists held a demonstration commemorating the New York Agreement, on Tuesday (15/8/2023). – Jubi/Theo Kelen

Photos below  and video of use of water cannon on  KNPB News FB page

 

 

Update 16 activists from the KNPB were beaten by the police

Extracts from Jubi report 

 

Jubi retorted that 16 activists from the West Papua National Committee or KNPB were beaten by the police while holding a demonstration commemorating the New York agreement in Sentani, Jayapura Regency, Tuesday, 15/8/2023. As a result of the beating they were injured.

 

Spokesman for the West Papua National Committee or KNPB Center, Ones Suhuniap, said most of those who were hit suffered serious head injuries and were bleeding quite a lot. Suhuniap said that the police used rattan and batons to beat and break up the KNPB demonstration in Sentani.

 

"The Jayapura Resort Police mobilized their full power to break up the demonstration by beating the demonstrators," Suhuniap told Jubi via the WhatsApp message service, on Tuesday afternoon.

 

Suhuniap said that the forced dispersal by beatings violated the authority of the police. Suhuniap said the police should properly oversee the demonstrations.

 

Jubi report

https://jubi.id/polhukam/2023/gelar-demonstrasi-16-aktivis-knpb-sentani-dipukul-polisi/

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