The Bloodwood Tree

I’ve attached an extract from a press release by the Institute for Papuan Advocacy & Human Rights. We need to contact one or more of the Indonesian Embassy ((02) 6250 8600), Member for Eden Monaro Mike Kelly or Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and ask for the release of individuals taken prisoner for the peaceful, democratic […]

http://paxchristi-oz.blogspot.com/2008/03/indonesian-defence-minister-visits.html
26 March 2008

One teenage student is in hospital in a serious condition after being shot in the stomach when Indonesian security forces went on a shooting rampage against local people in the Paniai Lakes region of West Papua two weeks ago. The human rights violation coincides with the visit of Indonesian Defence Minister Sudarsono who […]

(Source: Kabar Irian Digest)

Catholic & Protestant churches, Muslims, Hindus & Buddhists together made this appeal:
WE
1.      declared West Papua as ‘Land of Peace’ on the 5th February 2002.
2.      made an appeal to the international community to have ‘an honest and peaceful dialogue similar to Aceh peace process. The dialogue will be mediated […]

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0803/S00076.htm

Thursday, 6 March 2008, 11:36 am
Press Release: West Papua Leaders

For Immediate Broadcast
Wednesday March 5 1830 Aest
Jayapura, West Papua, March 5, 2008
WEST PAPUAN leaders calling for a Referendum on the future of West Papua who were arrested by Indonesian Police for “spreading hatred against the government”, have been released without charge from Police Regional Headquarters this […]

Below follows an extract of the January 2008 report by the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on the situation of human rights defenders in Indonesia. The full report can be dowloaded from here.
“The Special Representative visited Jayapura, capital of the West Papua province, on 8 and 9 June 2007.
A climate of fear undeniably […]

http://www.etan.org/issues/wpapua/0802wpap.htm#Yudhoyono_
Indonesian President Yudhoyono, in a January 28 eulogy for deceased General Suharto, praised the dictator for the brutal military operation in Papua which killed thousands.
The current president commended Suharto for leading Operation Mandala, the military operation in the early 1960’s that repressed popular opposition among Papuans to their forced annexation by Indonesia. SBY said in […]

http://www.etan.org/issues/wpapua/0802wpap.htm#Book
The January 11 Cenderawasih Pos reported that West Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu announced on January 17 that the province would uphold a newly issued government regulation that bans the use of separatist attributes as regional symbols, a move in line with the province’s status as part of the unitary state of Indonesia. The decision focuses […]

http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20080124.H01
National News - Thursday, January 24, 2008 The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The House of Representatives has unanimously endorsed its initiative to create eight new provinces and 13 new regencies, while local figures say the plan will not benefit the people affected.
Septer Manufandu, the executive secretary of the Cooperation Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations, said Papuan people did […]

The Jakarta Post
Friday, January 18, 2008
Op-Ed
Neles Tebay, Abepura, Papua
Since the fall of Soeharto’s regime, Indonesia has apparently begun to move toward democracy.
Indonesian citizens have found space to exercise their rights and duties without fear, pressure and intimidation from the state.
Indigenous Papuans, for their part, have taken advantage of the democratic atmosphere to express their opinions […]

Translation
Slightly abridged
From JPIC/KPKC Synod, GKI
1 December 2007; 9 January 2008
Police arrest 36 people for flying the Morning Star Flag in Timika
On 1 December the police arrested at least 36 Papuans for flying the Morning Star flag in Kwamki Lama, district of Mimika Baru. Seven are due to be charged for the crime of makar (rebellion) […]