“At the beginning of his first term in 2015, President Jokowi released five West Papuan political prisoners … a new hope for West Papua. But now, at the beginning of his second term, there are 57 people awaiting trial for treason, facing life imprisonment. This route will only fuel further conflict,” says human rights lawyer Veronica Koman.
The groundswell of regional support continues to grow in the Pacific – and also globally – for West Papuan self-determination. The latest repression only adds to this momentum.
Vanuatu is leading the way in promoting a peaceful diplomatic solution for West Papua and plans to take a resolution to the UN General Assembly next year calling for the West Papua to be restored to the UN list of nations still to be decolonised. New Zealand could be a game changer by ending military ties and instead opting to support Vanuatu’s principled diplomacy. There isn’t much time to waste.
The 10th of December marks the 70th Anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. It’s a pretty interesting document – not least because, if you peruse its contents, it contains an array of “rights” that have largely fallen by the wayside here in modern, neoliberal society.
Joe Moses: “It is shameful that [the PNG] government continues to limit free speech and put such pressure on our country’s only annual arts and human rights event. How does this make us look to the world leaders who will be coming here for the APEC meeting in November?”
Indonesia is becoming increasingly frantic about the Pacific Island states who speak up for West Papua. Triggered by Vanuatu’s prime Minister, Charlot Salwai’s address at the UN General Assembly this month, Indonesia went on a no-holds-barred attack.
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Mike Treen – National Director of Unite Union Auckland speaks before departing to join the 2018 Gaza Freedom Flotilla
Media freedom advocates claim that the Philippines is facing its worst free expression and security crisis since the Marcos dictatorship, with The New York Times denouncing the “ruthlessness” and “viciousness” of President Rodrigo Duterte’s disdain for democracy in his bid to close the critical Rappler.
This is your prison system now and the violence and abuse used against me is an affront to basic decency.