Protest in Port Numbay/Jayapura PHOTO: Free West Papua Campaign
Source: Ben Hillier, Red Flag newspaper
More than 500 activists have been arrested over the past month across West Papua as protests, demonstrations and meetings build in the lead up to the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Summit in Honiara, the Solomon Islands.
There is a new wave of political support growing for West Papua’s legal right to self determination. People writing to their MP’s really does work. Thanks to everyone who has been emailing their politicians asking them to support West Papua’s legal right to self-determination.
The Papuan representative organisation, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), says as many as 30 activists from the National Committee for West Papua (KNPB) have been arrested in Indonesia.
The KNPB has been pushing for freedom of expression for West Papuans and is one of the member groups in the ULMWP, which is seeking to join the Pacific sub-regional political body Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
A spokesperson for the newly-formed United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Benny Wenda, says its creation is one of the West Papua independence movement's most significant steps in dealing with Indonesia.
Jayapura, West Papua:Ten years after he was jailed for raising the outlawed "Morning Star" flag, West Papuan independence leader Filep Karma has called on Indonesian President Joko Widodo to voluntarily grant independence to West Papua so that Indonesia is not embarrassed in international forums.
Protest in Port Numbay/Jayapura PHOTO: Free West Papua Campaign
