Six West Papuan refugees who sought asylum in Australia before being deported to Papua New Guinea, have now been relocated to the Iowara refugee camp in East Awin.

At 11am 18th of October 2013 The Freedom Flotilla to West Papua, along with the West Papuan Melbourne Community, the Refugee Action Collective and Indigenous elders will gather to protest the unlawful deportation of the group at Department of Immigration and Border Protection on the corner of Lonsdale and Spring Streets.

Refugees living in Kiunga are bewildered by PNG Immigration’s decision to send a new group of asylum seekers to the camp, which was largely abandoned by refugees after UNHCR ceased providing assistance to the inhabitants in 1998.

Those that continue to live in the camps, surviving without any assistance on land affected by the Ok Tedi mine disaster, speak of the camps as a ghost town.

Anthropologist Diana Glazebrook recorded a West Papuan refugee’s experience living in the camps; “We are corpses, like dried bones without flesh or blood… We feel awkward and exist in a constant sense of hostility in our relation with the landholders, and vigilant, guarded; fearing repatriation by the government.”

Arabunna elder Uncle Kevin Buzzacott said “We have a responsibility to look after our brothers and sisters from across the water. They are welcome here in our country. The Australian Government must be responsible to grant them a safe place to escape from the genocide going on in West Papua.”

Chris Breen of the Refugee Action Collective said “We protest on the anniversary of the SIEV X tragedy, which killed 353 people. A majority of those who drowned were women and children, because the Howard government had denied them family reunion. The Abbott government is again denying family reunion to refugees, with the reintroduction of Temporary Protection Visas. The government remains determined to punish refugees rather than learn from such tragedies. The illegal deportation of West Papuan asylum seekers, and indefinite detention of ASIO negative refugees, one of whom attempted suicide this week after four years of indefinite detention, is part of this pattern of callous punishment”

Freedom Flotilla spokesperson Ruben Blake said “The inability of the PNG governnment to deal with existing refugees, let alone allow this new group of asylum seekers access to legal representation or properly assess their asylum claim shows that offshore processing in PNG will be an absolute disaster. We call for the immediate return to Australia of the West Papuan asylum seekers, and for their asylum claims to be properly assessed by Australia”.

West Papuans will also join protests in Perth on Friday and Sydney on Saturday demanding justice for all refugees seeking asylum in Australia.

Video of West Papuans at World Refugee day 2013

• After the rally in Kaimana yesterday, 3 people were arrested, shots fired, various items confiscated and property damaged. According to the police they were investigating a previous murder case although the KNPB say its general intimidation to keep the West Papuan people in fear.

Google translations of reports on KNPB web page and in Jubi. Be-aware google translate can be a bit erratic.
Original bahasa above articles.

1) Kaimana action running safely , Night happens Arrest
2) 10 SHOTS , THREE PEOPLE DITANGKAPPenulis : Benny Mawel on October 17 , 2013
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http://knpbnews.com/blog/archives/2994
1) Kaimana action running safely , Night happens Arrest
October 17 , 2013 By : knpbtimika Category : Regional KNPB

Kaimana – KNPBNews : West Papua National Committee ( KNPB ) Kaimana district also helped make a declaration about the single issue : Nasip Self Determination , and IPWP commemorate and express gratitude to the Prime Minister of Vanuatu who brought the issue of West Papua to the UN table , activity in Region Kaimana is done in the form of Worship .

And these activities are done at the Secretariat at Kaimana PRD , 09:00 until 13:00, according to PRD members Kaimana Jitmau father said by telephone that the secular : ” We do Worship safely but at night hours , 09:30 minutes pengisiran and arrests going on here . ” According to host Jitmau also that , ” Carried leadership Kaimana Police came to arrest activists KNPB children here ( Kaimana ) . ” he said by telephone .

After that he also mentions the names of those who were arrested by a joint army / police in Kaimana , West Papua is : ( 1 ) . Barias Bary ( 2 ) . Luter Soba ( 3 ) . Isay Irini .

While the secretariat gate PRD Kaimana also damaged by army / police and the residence of the Chairman of the PRD in Kaimana also damaged by the Indonesian military in Kaimana , West Papua .

Meanwhile three members KNPB Kaimana district is still in custody for the host Jitmau pleading for help in this process of reporters , journalists and concerned with humanity at both the local , national and international , ” Please help this issue advocacy by all parties . ” He said .

While the goods seized by army / police are : ( 1 ) . Parang kitchen ( 2 ) . Kitchen knives ( 3 ) . Spear Fish ( 4 ) Book Events Guest PRD Kaimana . (ad )
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http://tabloidjubi.com/2013/10/17/10-tembakan-tiga-warga-ditangkap/

2) 10 SHOTS , THREE PEOPLE DITANGKAPPenulis : Benny Mawel on October 17 , 2013
Editor : Victor Mambor

Wim Medlama and Oteka Tabuni ( Jubi / Mawel )

Jayapura , 17/10 ( Jubi ) – Yesterday evening ( 16/10 ) until 4 am , police RI Resort Kaimana releasing a number of shots in front of the People’s Parliament ( PRD ) Kaimana , Mohammed Kurita .

The shooting was accompanied by arrest , confiscation and destruction of the family -owned facility .

This statement was delivered Wim Medlama , Spokesman of the National Committee of West Papua ( KNPB ) , the media crew in his press conference in Waena , Jayapura , Papua , on Thursday ( 17/10 ) . ” Come night shooting that occurred in front of the house of the head of Parliament in Kaimana , ” he said .

According to Wim , ten bullets were shot at different times . ” The first shooting at 9:30 pm 6 times . The second shot clock 2 nights as much as 2 times , and the third at 4 am as much as 2 times , ” he said .

In this action , the first shooting , police arrested three residents of the house of the head of Parliament . ” They were mugged and arrested , namely Barias Wesfete , Demianus Baunu and Jesse Irini , ” said Wim explains arrest occurred at 21:30 .

Wim Further , the three men had returned home this morning .

Time of the arrest , police seized a number of items . ” The goods were seized , 3 pieces with machetes , axes 1 fruit , 1 fruit guestbook and destroy the gate house of parliament and chairman of the house 2 doors Rajap Kurita father ” .

Reason for arrest , according to police , as presented by Wim Medlama , is looking for a previous murder case stumbles named Julian . This police action Avansa using two cars and two police patrol cars .

KNPB assess police are just looking for an excuse to give psychological pressure on Papuan people in ways that make no sense . ” We are not concerned with their efforts our press . We only know one word VERSUS ” .

Until this news was published , there has been no korfimasi from the police . ( Jubi / Mawel )
Ruben Blake