West Papuans celebrate arrival of sacred water and fire, despite intimidation by Indonesian military

A number of events took place across West Papua today to celebrate the arrival of sacred water and fire from the Freedom Flotilla.

In the port city of Marauke, a planned community event which was to be attended by 17 tribes from around the region was stymied by authorities. The head of police and five intelligence officers hand delivered a letter to one of the organisers prohibiting any ceremonies for the reception of the Freedom Flotilla. Police and intelligence officers stationed themselves around the house of the organiser this morning, preventing it from taking place.

“The town was crippled by the combined forces of navy, police, State Intelligence Agency (BIN,) Kopasus and military who monitored the movement of ordinary people and the Flotilla organisers throughout the day. Plan B was to escape in few vehicles to a safe location and travel by boat for few kilometres to a nearby beach and this is where the sacred ceremony was carried out,” explained Ronnie Kareni

Jhon Wog, chairmen of the Freedom Flotilla welcoming committee and elder of the Marin Tribe in Merauke, said “In a sacred site near Marauke, I released a canoe to sail out to meet the Flotilla boat as a symbol of connecting the spirit of our ancestors. Thank God for Uncle Kevin Buzzacott, who already brought our ancestral spirit back to reconnect us with the land and hope for our struggle for independence.”

In nearby Fak Fak, an estimated 400-600 people undertook a long march to highlight ongoing human rights abuses against the people of West Papua. The arrival of the water and fire was also celebrated by hundreds yesterday in Manokwari with traditional dances and prayer.

“The people of West Papua express our gratitude to the Indigenous Elders, Kevin Buzzacott, human rights activists, musicians, artists, and others on the Freedom Flotilla who have raised their voices for peace and justice in West Papua,” said West Papuan activist Awom Eliezer.

The sacred water from Lake Eyre in central Australia and ashes from Aboriginal tent embassies had been delivered by the Freedom Flotilla in a clandestine cultural exchange between indigenous elders of Australia and West Papua. They will be passed from tribe to tribe throughout West Papua to spread the message of hope and continue the struggle for freedom.

The crackdown by authorities today follows the events of the 28th of August, where four people were arrested and charged with treason for raising the banned Morning Star flag after a prayer meeting in support of the Freedom Flotilla.

Earlier …

The Pog, flagship of the Freedom Flotilla has returned to Australian waters, following threats made by the Indonesian military and a successful cultural exchange between indigenous elders from Australian and West Papua.

The Pog had sailed along the border region between Australia, PNG, Indonesia, making repeated attempts to open a dialogue with the Indonesian navy. The non-violent nature of the action was reiterated in communications via SMS, phone calls, emails, letters and in person at the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra. However the Indonesian Navy had not respected calls to dialogue with the Freedom Flotilla, not acknowledged that the peaceful protest vessel was unarmed, and not ruled out force being used to turn the boat back.

Indonesian authorities refused to respond or open a dialogue within 24 hours. The fleet was then joined by a new member, an unmanned dinghy which carried a satellite tracker into Indonesian waters on Friday morning, as a safety measure while the small yacht sat unprotected on the border.

Izzy Brown explained from on board the Pog. “The Indonesian Government and Military refused not only our calls to dialogue, but also refuses to sit down for dialogue with West Papuans and find resolution for the issue of West Papua’s right to self determination.”

“We didn’t want to sail into a violent confrontation with warships, our mission was to bring the sacred water and ashes as an offering of solidarity with the Indigenous people of West Papua, and to bring attention to their struggle, which against all odds we managed to achieve ” she continued.

Media Spokesperson Ruben Blake said, “Its time the world pays attention to the violent repression carried out West Papua’s peaceful Independence movement. Indonesia attempts to hide this story, by locking dissenters behind bars, by blocking journalists and human rights observers from entering West Papua. The Freedom Flotilla has publicly demonstrated this, and put the issue of the lack of space for democratic expression in West Papua back on the international agenda.”

“We are not surprised by the way this peaceful action was received by Indonesia,” said Flotilla organiser Ronny Kareni. “The threats against the Flotilla, as well as the charges of treason against four West Papuan organisers of a congregation praying for their safe passage, are just examples of the way ordinary West Papuans are treated when exercising their democratic rights.”

“Against this 50 year long military occupation, West Papuans are finding creative ways to overcome, to rise against oppression. This Freedom Flotilla was just another wave of the struggle to free West Papua, and it is clear that the determination and the spirit of West Papuans remains strong” he continued.

Uncle Kevin Buzzacott, who initiated the idea of the Freedom Flotilla with Jacob Rumbiak in 2000, spoke of the journey’s success. “The water went back to where it started from and won’t return for 40,000 years. It will give power and strength to everyone. And the fire that will be lit all over West Papua and the other islands will warm people’s hearts and give them knowledge and peace. The issue of West Papua will be too hot for Indonesia to cope with.”

The arrival of the water and fire was already celebrated by hundreds yesterday in Manokwari, with reports to be published later today.

Today in Merauke there will be a peaceful celebration of the successful cultural exchange between Indigenous Australians and West Papuans, and all those on the Freedom Flotilla who brought global awareness of the Indonesian occupation and the West Papuan’s fight for freedom. The Freedom Flotilla be monitoring the outcome of that protest, given the military build up in the port city, and will be providing updates as they become available.

And,

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

Rallies will go ahead although banned by police.

Although the rallies called by the KNPB for the 16 September have been banned by the police, the rallies will go ahead as planned. Joe Collins of AWPA said “there is always concern for peaceful protestors taking part in rallies in West Papua as can be seen by the crackdown on recent rallies such as the one on the 1 May in which 3 people were killed and a large number arrested. Peaceful rallies are a way the West Papuan people can bring attention to the human rights situation in West Papua and to the injustice they suffer under Indonesian rule.

The rallies have being called to celebrate International Day of Democracy (15 September). In the Mimika region the rallies are also to show support for the MSG and for the policies of the Prime Minister of Vanuatu , Mr . Moana Carcases Kalosil to bring the issue of Papua to the UN.

Joe Collins said, there is a danger that those attending the rallies could be charged with (makar) under Articles 106 and 110 of the Criminal Code as was used against the four in Sorong who had simply gathered in a show of solidarity with the planned visit of the “Freedom Flotilla”. It should be pointed out that the organisers said the rallies that would be peaceful, urging that no sharp objects or alcohol to be brought tom the rallies.
Ruben Blake