The interim President of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) provisional government, Benny Wenda, has condemned Indonesia for the arrest and torture of eight students, and appeals to Melanesian countries to support their plea.

The eight West Papuan students were arrested by Indonesian police for peacefully demonstrating with banners and hand-painted Morning Star flags in Jayapura, capital of the Indonesian-ruled province of Papua, on 1 December 2021.

They have been charged with treason, and may face 25 years in prison.

In an interview with 96.3 Buzz FM, Wenda said that this happened when West Papua celebrated its 60th year anniversary, which is significant for all West Papuans.

“The event is celebrated globally. Official celebrations took place in Netherlands, in United Kingdom, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu,” he said.

“The university students peacefully raised their flags, marched and chanted withdrawal of the military and demanded self-determination.

“Just last month, I asked the Indonesian government to allow my people to express themselves because we always respect their independence on August 17 annually,” Wenda said.

‘Call for respect and release’
“We have called for respect and are not happy with this arrest.

“We are also asking the international community to monitor the situation.”

Amnesty Indonesia has already called for the immediate release of the students. These students have been fed up with the military operations, internal displacements, murders and bombings.

Wenda also said that recently an elderly woman, Paulina Imbumar, who leads prayers, was arrested, and a request had been sent to the police station to release her.

The chair of the Vanuatu West Papua Association, Job Dalesa, said it was very sad to hear such actions taken.

He added that it was an independent human rights flag and the students were portraying their stand.

Dalesa called on the people of Vanuatu to unite in prayer for the people of West Papua.

“We will appeal to Indonesia to stop such actions,” he said.

The Vanuatu Daily Post contacted the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) headquarters in Port Vila for comments on the situation. However, there was no immediate response.

Kizzy Kalsakau and Jason Abel are Vanuatu Daily Post reporters. Republished with permission.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

West Papuans will peacefully mark the 60th anniversary of the birth of West Papua next week — on Wednesday, December 1.

It is also the first anniversary of the formation of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) provisional government.

“To my people back home and around the world: this is a very significant and important day for us to remember,” said interim president Benny Wenda in a statement today.

“When the Morning Star [flag] was raised by the New Guinea Council on December 1, 1961, they formed the embryo of the nation.

“I call on everyone to celebrate this day through peaceful prayer meetings. To our international solidarity supporters, please use your freedom to show your support for our struggle, wherever you are.

“Special flag raising ceremonies coordinated by the provisional government will take place in PNG, Vanuatu, the Netherlands, and the UK. I also invite Indonesian solidarity and all Indonesian citizens to pray for us and respect our national day, as we have respected your independence day.”

Wenda said that on that day “we will remember people in the bush, particularly the thousands displaced by Indonesian military operations in Intan Jaya, Nduga, Puncak Jaya, Maybrat and Oksibil”.

“We remember the two year old baby killed at the hands of the Indonesian government last month,” he said.

Plea for ‘watchful eye’
Wenda called on the world to keep a watchful eye on any human rights violations  in West Papua on December 1.

“There is often bloodshed carried out by Indonesian military and police. We do not want this – we will be celebrating in a peaceful way,” he said.

“There is no need to harass, intimidate or attack those who are peacefully praying. I call on the Indonesian government and President to leave us alone on our national day. Our time is coming, and one day we will stand side-by-side as good neighbours.

“We will also be celebrating the announcements and progress we have made in the last two years, with our constitution, provisional government, cabinet, and recently our Green State Vision for the nation.

“The ULMWP provisional government has consistently recognised all proclamations made in the history of our struggle by West Papuan leaders before us.

“With these important steps we have made, I encourage my people to come together in one spirit to celebrate and move us closer to our goal of independence and self-determination for all.

“We wish peace on West Papua, on Indonesia, the region and the whole world.”

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

An appeal for a 40-day fast across the region by the Pacific Council of Churches in support of West Papua closes next week with no result in sight.

The secretary-general of the PCC, Rev James Bhagwan, and West Papua Church Council (WPCC) are still waiting for the Indonesian government to respond to their demands on stopping militarisation in West Papua.

Due to the government reluctance to respond to the call of church leaders about the prolonged conflict, indigenous Melanesians in West Papua will not celebrate their Christmas, – particularly in Nduga, Intan Jaya, Puncak Ilaga regencies – for the third year in a row.

Yones Douw, head of the justice and peace department of the Papua Kemah Gospel Church, said there was “no hope for us at all”, reports Asia Pacific Report.

“Why is [the violence] increasing like this? Well, if you find a pastor who is speaking about the suffering of his congregation, he will be called a separatist. Anyone who speaks about human rights will be called as separatist, anyone who speaks about the welfare of Papuan people will be labelled separatist,” said Douw.

Pastor Nahor Maiseni, from Moni tribe in Intan Jaya said that the duty of pastors, priests, catechists and other religious workers was to not harm the congregation, reports Tabloid Jubi.

‘Their core duty was to spread the gospel and to look after congregation.

‘Worship, education paralysed’
“With the murder of Pastor Jeremia Zanambani and the conflict in Hitadipa, the members of the GKII Klasis Hitadipa congregation have experienced bad conditions. From the spiritual aspect, the congregation no longer performs worship as usual and educational activities are paralysed,” he said.

The report said shooting the priests and preachers in Intan Jaya was like “going against God”.

“Their daily role and activities (priests, pastors, and catechists) was to pray for the peace and safety of all God’s people on this earth regardless of class,” said Pastor Maiseni.

“Whether the TNI or the TPN-PB, or any group which intends to kill a pastor, pastor and catechist …  is like fighting God or fighting with God, not with humans,” said Maiseni.

TNI is the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (Indonesian National Army) and TPN-PB represents Tentara Pembebasan Nasional Papua Barat (West Papua National Liberation Army).

Prayers for peace
Benny Wenda, chair of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), said that as well as being a special month of Christian prayer for West Papuans, December was also a “historical month” for West Papuans, especially December 1.

“All West Papuans, from Sorong to Samarai, across Melanesia and throughout the globe: I invite you to hold mass prayer meetings on December 1, 2020, to commemorate this historic day for our people,” he said in a statement.

“In the last few months we have suffered greatly. West Papuans are being systematically killed at the hands of the Indonesian military. Our religious leaders, like Pastor Yeremia Zanambani and Catholic Church worker Rufinus Tigau, have been tortured and killed.

“A 19-year-old woman in Sentani, Dimisi Balingga, was killed by Indonesian troops on November 4.

“West Papuan students are being arrested and brutalised just for holding a small demonstration. We are not safe under Indonesian rule,” said the statement.

Wenda, the London-based independence movement leader, said that the Special Autonomy status should end this year peacefully.

“We will not bow down to any offer from Jakarta short of a referendum on independence. We are not bound by any law imposed by Jakarta,” said the statement.

102 groups sign protest petition
Asia Pacific Report previously reported that 90 civil and church organisations had joined together to reject the extension of special autonomy.

Suara Papua reports that Victor Yeimo, international spokesperson of National Committee of West Papua, said 102 organisations had joined and signed the protest petition.

He said that during special autonomy status period many West Papuan had been killed, tortured, brutally oppressed, and physically threatened.

At the end of the press conference, Yeimo declared that West Papua was a non self-governing territory – “the last colony in the Pacific” – and rejected the second version of special autonomy.

The statement also reaffirmed the “right of peaceful and democratic self-determination for the people of West Papua to determine their political destiny”.

Reported by a postgraduate communication studies student at Auckland University of Technology.

• The full list of demands is at Suara Papua

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

The massive gathering in Christchurch’s Hagley Park has reassured and uplifted their shocked community, say New Zealand Muslim leaders.

About 20,000 people gathered in Hagley Park to observe two minutes of silence and the Muslim call to prayer on Friday along with thousands more at other events across the country, including Auckland’s Domain.

Pacific Media Centre photographer Del Abcede was on hand to capture these images at Ponsonby’s Al-Masjid Al-Jamie mosque and Aotea Square on a day when women across New Zealand of all faiths reclaimed the hijab. More photos can be seen on her Facebook page.

Ponsonby and Aotea day of prayer, reflection

1. Praying for peace at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

2. The crowd at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

3. Tongan flag and flowers at the Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

4. Samoan flag and flowers at the Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

5. Flowers and messages at the Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

6. Hijab power at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

7. Hijab power at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

8. Hijab power at Ponsonby Mosque. Inage: Del Abcede/PMC

9. Hijab power at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

10. Hijab power at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

11. Policeman and hijab at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

12. Priest and hijab at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

13. The Ponsonby Mosque crowd. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

14. Hijabs and Ponsonby’s Sacred Heart Church in the background. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

`15. Gang member paying his respects at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

16. Thanks to New Zealand from the Muslim community at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

17. Child and the mourning flowers at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

18. Flowers and messages at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

19. “Love and support” at Ponsonby Mosque. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

20. “Free hugs and free scarves” Aotea messages. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

21. Flowers beside the statue of former mayor Sir Dove-Myer Robinson in Aotea Square. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

22. Police and the hijab in Aotea Square, Auckland. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

23. Hijabs in Aotea Square. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

24. “The most merciful person is the one who forgives when he is able to take revenge.” – Imam Ali Image: Del Abcede/PMC

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Hundreds of Auckland mourners shared prayers today for those who lost their lives in New Zealand’s double mosque attack on Friday in an ecumenical service in Ponsonby’s Sacred Heart Church.

Then the mourners crossed Vermont Street to the Ponsonby mosque and shared their grief in a colourful, floral and vibrant ceremony.

Catholic bishop of Auckland Patrick Dunn led the way carrying a wreath of flowers in crossing the street.

Many speakers from several religions vowed that the massacre on Friday that has left 50 people dead, including a young child, would not divide the country. On the contrary, it would strengthen a united resolve.

Meanwhile, RNZ reports that Police Commissioner Mike Bush said today a heavy police presence around the country tomorrow will ensure New Zealanders’ safety after the terror attacks.

At a press conference in Wellington, Bush reiterated Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s statement that victims’ bodies would begin to be returned to their families this evening, a process that would hopefully be completed by Wednesday.

-Partners-

“We have in excess of 200 police staff [in Christchurch] doing a number of roles.

“We have medical forensic staff, highly trained police staff, all working to enable the chief coroner to have this process commenced and completed as soon as possible out of respect for their loved ones.”

He said he was working with top police on deployment, “to deploy them in a way that allows people to feel safe to go about their business”.

Auckland Catholic Bishop Patrick Dunn carrying a wreath from Sacred Heart Church across the street to Ponsonby mosque today. Image: David Robie/PMC Ponsonby mosque mourners today. Image: David Robie/PMC An armed policeman guarding the outside of Ponsonby mosque today. Scenes like this are rare in New Zealand where police do not normally carry firearms. Image: David Robie/PMC Flowers at the Ponsonby Al-Masjid Al Jamie, New Zealand’s oldest mosque, in Auckland today. Image: David Robie/PMC

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz