PANEL PASIFIK &antilde; DEWAN PAPUA

(PANEL  PACIFIC &antilde; PAPUA COUNCIL)

PO BOX  4609 BOROKO, NCD, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

TELEPHONE :  (675) 3233568 / 3112184

MEDIA STATEMENT

The Panel Pacific of the Papua Council is deeply concerned about the

Plan deportation of Mr. Mathias Wenda by the PNG authorities to West Papua,

Indonesia.

Mr. Wenda is a renowned OPM (Free Papua Movement) fighter and one of

the well respected formal commanders of the  Tentara Pembebasan Nasioanl ( The

West Papua National Liberation Army ). He had spent many years in the

jungles of West Papua fighting for the independence for his homeland.

Early this year he was accused of trespassing into PNG soil including

Forming a private army hence capture and detained by the PNG authorities in the

Vanimo jail. In a trial by the National Court his case was dismissed therefore

released from jail several weeks ago.

Deporting him against his will would be regarded as not only inhuman

And un-Melanesian but also seen as act of compliance with foreign

pressures.

"I want to stress that Mr. Wenda had gone through the due process of

law in PNG hence he should be allowed to live as a free man preferably in a

third country and not back to the Indonesian hands. As a former opponent of

the Indonesian military his safety would be in peril if return."

"And I humbly appeal to the Prime Minister the Right Honorable Sir

Mekere Mourata and his Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. John Pundari not to

proceed with the plan but look for alternative ways to secure, in collaboration with

the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), a third country

For asylum for Mr. Wenda.  I specially appeal to either the Netherlands,

Sweden, New Zealand, the United States of America or Australia to offer him

asylum".

At this juncture we wish to make mention of the presence of the 400

West Papuans who crossed the border late last year and early this year

Following the brutal acts of repression by the Indonesian military and police

Against the West Papuan independence movement supporters. The 400 Border

Crossers are  die hard supporters of a free West Papua.

"We thank both the Government and the people of Papua New Guinea particularly

the people in the Sandaun province for their sympathy, perseverance and

understanding in accepting them. In particular we convey our deep

appreciation and gratitude to the Catholic and Lutheran Churches in Papua New Guinea

and their counterparts abroad for their willingness to stand up for them.

Weappeal to the PNG government and UNHCR to accord them with formal

refugee status".

Port Moresby, 23 June 2001.

CLEMENS  RUNAWERY

Secretary General.