Activists ‘invade’ Indonesian consulate in Melbourne, call for an end to the Violence in West Papua

Media Alert West Papua Solidarity Group
1.12.2020 07.00 am For immediate release

Activists ‘invade’ Indonesian consulate in Melbourne, call for an end to violence in West Papua

Five activists have scaled the walls of the Indonesian consulate in Melbourne and are currently on the roof, where they have raised the Morning Star flag of the West Papuan independence movement and dropped a banner reading “TNI OUT: Stop Killing Papuans”

The action comes in the wake of escalating violence in Intan Jaya in the interior of West Papua, where military operations have intensified over recent months. A dozen villagers have been killed by Indonesian special forces in the region since September, including popular pastor Yeremiah Zanambani and a 12 year old child, Warius Murib.
Villagers of Intan Jaya have been forced to flee their homes due to military raids involving gunfire, search and seizure of farming implements, arbitrary arrests, injuries and deaths. Housing and crops have been torched by special forces from Kopaska, Kopassus and Yonif Raider units.
The intensified military activity is linked to plans by state-owned PT-MIND to open a new gold mine in Intan Jaya, Blok B Wabu.
Military and police patrols are on high alert across West Papua today, as December 1 is the date West Papuans celebrate their declaration of independence in 1961. Ceremonies to raise the banned Morning Star flag are likely to meet with a show of force from security agencies determined to enforce Indonesian rule over the province. Three people from the Anim-Ha clan of Merauke were arrested late Monday 30.11 simply for writing a statement rejecting ‘Special Autonomy’. Many further arrests are expected today.
“The West Papuan people have clearly and repeatedly called for an end to the violence in their homeland. We are here today to amplify their message” said Jasmine Grace from the West Papua Solidarity Group. “We stand with West Papuans for peace and justice. We call on the Indonesian government to withdraw all military and counter-insurgency forces from West Papua and hold a referendum on self-determination. We call on the Australian Federal Police and the SAS to stop training the West Papuan police and military. End the human rights abuses in West Papua now” said Ms Grace.

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source: @nattalirize