PANEL PASIFIK - DEWAN PAPUA
(PANEL PACIFIC-PAPUA COUNCIL)
PO BOX 4609 BOROKO, NCD, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
TELEPHONE : (675) 3233568 / 3112184
Email : wapupi@datec.net.pg 

A one week West Papuan Women Conference I/2001 is scheduled to commence next week starting Monday 23rd and ends on Friday 27th July at Kotaraja, Jayapura, West Papua.

MEDIA STATEMENT

(Thursday, 19 July 2001)

A one week West Papuan Women Conference I/2001 is scheduled to commence next week starting Monday 23rd and ends on Friday 27th July at Kotaraja, Jayapura, West Papua. The conference theme and sub-theme are "The upholding of the Principles of Human Rights by West Papuan Women in accordance with the Principles of Truth and Justice" and "Stop eliminating God's children in Papua".

The Conference is to be officiated by Indonesia's First Lady Shinta Nuriah Wahid at 10.00 am Monday, July 23rd to be followed by a poetic reflection by Cory Alhamid the wife of Mohammed Thaha Alhamid one of the five Papuan Leaders accused of treason by the Indonesian government.
This Conference is of international scale involving 500 people including 200 participants and 300 observers from within West Papua, Indonesia and abroad. West Papuan women from 17 regions including 3 non-West Papua regions (Pacific, Asia and Europe) have been invited to attend.
In a joint statement issued by Franzalbert Joku and Clemens Runawery respectively as Chairman and Secretary General of Panel Pacific both executives say: "In our search for the upholding of the principles of Human Rights in West Papua and in conjunction with our peaceful endevour in the safeguarding of our unique Papuan identity, our destiny and existence as Papuans both in Melanesia and within the broader spectrum of the Pacific we fully endorse the objectives of the Conference. The participation of our West Papuan women in our common endevour in the upholding and protection of our rights and liberty is absolutely important. 

They are the backbone of our existence in our homes and society at large. They form one of the key pillars in our modern struggle for liberty from all forms of bondage and suppression".

The Conference will focus on human rights abuses in West Papua. Discussions and analysis will be presented from cultural, legal, socio-economic, political and military perspectives. 

The one-week programme will cover a wide range of such topical issues as "The Role and Views of Papuan Women in Struggle for freedom and Nationalism in West Papua" (to be presented by a West Papuan woman academic Mrs. Greet Jolmen). "The Threat Against West Papuan Generation from Educational and Health perspectives" (to be jointly presented by two Indonesian renowned medical doctors Budi Subyanto and Gunawan); "Papuan People and the Reality of Development" (by Papuan Scholar Dr. Benny Giay). Also high ranking Indonesian Police and Military officers will also speak on topics: "Supremacy of Law in the realization of Justice, Security and Peace in Society" and "The Role of Military in the protection of civil rights in Society".

The Catholic Bishop of Jayapura Mgr. Leo Laba Ladjar, OFM, has been scheduled as the first speaker on the topic "Stop Eliminating God's children in Papua".

We wish the Conference every successes. 

FRANSALBERT JOKU CLEMENS RUNAWERY 
Chairman Secretary General. 

© 2002 The Diary of Online Papua Mouthpiece