As part of the “Global Day of Action (29 April), solidarity groups are calling on the Indonesian Government to allow open access to West Papua for journalists and international NGOs, AWPA will hold a peaceful rally outside the Indonesian Consulate in Sydney.

In Australia rallies are also being held in the capitol cities of Adelaide, Brisbane Darwin, Melbourne and Perth (two in Sydney).

A joint letter to the Indonesian President signed by up to 50 NGOs and individual MPs will be released at 9am London time on the 29th. AWPA will send it to the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra.

Joe Collins of AWPA said, “It’s not only local journalists who face intimidation by the security forces but also international journalists. The case of the two French Journalists who were arrested on the 6th of August in Wamena last year is well known. They were sentenced to two and half months in prison and released in October 2014. Their case should be seen as a message to international journalists not to come and report on the situation in West Papua”.

The media is an important part of democracy. In West Papua the local media are on the ground and can be first with reports of violence and intimidation of civil society, of military attacks and with reports of the crackdown on peaceful demonstrations.

The Indonesian President, Jokowi (as he is popularly known), promised during his presidential election campaign to open West Papua to foreign journalists and non-government organisations if he won the election.

“Why not? Its safe here in Papua,” he was quoted as saying. “There’s nothing to hide.”

Time for him to keep his promise.

Joe Collins said “In West Papua local media reported that the student organisation ‘Uproar” will hold a rally in support of the international demonstrations. Hopefully the security forces will allow any rallies to go ahead and not crackdown on peaceful demonstrators as they have in the past”.

Indonesian Consulate Sydney 12 noon
236-238 Maroubra Road, Maroubra
NSW 2035

Also
A Free West Papua Campaign rally
Town Hall Sydney 10am
Anne Noonan, Jo Collins, Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)