Tribal Freedom Festival, National University of Ireland (NUI), Maynooth, Republic of Ireland

Read the Brochure here (PDF)  >>>Word Format Here

A Letter of Invitation, by Sem Karoba
The Morning Star Concert in Australia, 28 February, 2003

Memories of the Irish campaign to free East Timor from a horrific Indonesian occupation will be evoked on March 21st  and 22nd as supporters of the West Papua freedom movement gather in Maynooth for the One Big Tribe festival. MORE HERE

The festival commences with a symbolic Papuan dance outside the Dept. of Foreign Affairs on Friday afternoon, followed by a benefit concert at Maynooth Student’s Union on Friday night (starting early at 8pm). The date marks the Spring Equinox.  Performers include Sem Karoba, a native tribesman from the lush rainforests of West Papua , Sampari, a Papuan dance troop based in the Netherlands , and the Hothouse Flowers, who have been ardent supporters of West Papua ’s plight to save their homeland from Indonesian terrorism and ecological plunder. 

Revellers will be fitting in some sleep before joining in a day of talks, workshops, debate and film on Saturday which aim to raise awareness of West Papua and its links to a war weary and ecologically confused world.  The event will be brought to a close by a small ceremony and some songs and music from around the world.

Organisers of the event, who include representatives of a wide range of groups and ideologies, agree that this is the start of something big.  West Papua is about to be blown onto the media radar as Indonesia steps up its own ‘war on terror’ by further persecuting the Papuan people. To date, up to 300,000 (or 20%) of the population has been killed and the natives are losing land, jobs and rights to Indonesian ‘settlers’ who are arriving in their thousands, partly sponsored by the World Bank.

Human rights abuses are only part of West Papua ’s problem.  Mining giants BP and Freeport MacMoran are working closely with the military, including some commanders from the East Timor conflict, to ensure they reap the lucrative rewards of Papua’s rich gas, gold, copper and forest resources. The result has been mass environmental wreckage.  In addition, native customs, music, language and spirituality are being denied in a form of cultural colonisation reminiscent of the penal laws in Ireland.

However thanks to activists such as Sem Karoba, now living in Ireland , West Papuans are not giving up without a fight.  Violence and militancy don’t provide much opposition to the might of the American supported Indonesian military but self taught tribal webmasters such as Sem certainly do.

Sem landed in England a few years ago on a trip paid for by the sale of village pigs and managed to find himself living, learning and campaigning amongst Brighton ’s grassroots activists. In Brighton he started his popular website www.westpapua.net which has been at the forefront of telling the world what is happening in his homeland, a job of particular importance as journalists are banned from visiting West Papua .

Indeed, Sem’s vocal but modest work has earned him the scorn of Indonesian officials who haven’t taken kindly to this ‘man from the jungle’ touring the world (he has met with the UN, EU officials and spoke at the recent Green Party conference) in search justice for his people and forests.  At present it is too dangerous for him to return home. He knows he may well be jailed, tortured or killed some day but he is not ready just yet.  

England was Sem’s introduction to western culture but Ireland has been his saviour. Having been invited over by supporters in Sligo , Sem has found himself a land and people more open to his cultural, spiritual and political messages. ‘ Ireland is my second home. The people understand my need to sing, tell my stories and stand up against intimidation. They know from their history. Their songs and language were also banned’.

Some might argue that Sem’s view of the ‘caring Irish’ is a little optimistic but the One Big Tribe event is certainly proof that Ireland could once again be at the forefront of leading a campaign for freedom in a foreign land the world has forgotten. And as Sem Karoba is so keen to convey ‘it is not just political freedom from Indonesia we seek. We seek the freedom to live our own ways and beliefs. To practice our tribal laws and customs and to live in harmony with nature. We do not need cities filled with McDonalds’, Motorways, pollution and crime to do that. We have an ecological paradise that doesn’t need ‘developing’. It needs preserving’.

Contact for Media/ Donations/ Support

One Big Tribe info and coordination:
Piera Sarsini                  085 7285113  piera@rocketmail.com      www.onebigtribe.org

Sem Karoba:    
 086 3746379                 koteka@westpapua.net              www.westpapua.net/koteka

West Papua international campaign info:
Mark Doris:                   087 2969742                              wpaction@iol.ie

One Big Tribe:
TRIBAL FREEDOM FESTIVAL
at Maynooth University Ireland on Saturday March 22nd - 2 sided info pamhlet attached. A gathering of workshops, seminars, ceremony, music and fun featuring Sem Karoba, Papuan dance troop, Liam O'Maonlai and Hot House Flowers. All proceeds go
towards the courageous work of Sem Karoba and his people.

We need your help and support to make this a success.
Can you help set-up food, concert, info stalls, promote etc?

PLANNING AND ORGANISING WEEKEND:
Maynooth and Dublin - Friday Feb 28th, Saturday March 1 and Sunday March 1
Call Piera  085 7285113  or email piera@rocketmail.com

BENEFIT CONCERT
FRIDAY MARCH 21ST
The Venue, NUI Maynooth, from 8pm sharp!

featuring:

- The Hothouse Flowers
- Sem Karoba, Papuan tribesman
- Sampari, Papuan Dance group
- Global Harmony Choir
+ Very special surprise guests

* € 7: NUI Maynooth students * €10:Guests (pre-register first)
- Bring a feather, a star or some flowers

---------------------------------------

GLOBAL FORUM
for awareness,action,debate
SATURDAY MARCH 22nd
NUI Maynooth, 11am (registration) - 6pm (then music)

Talks, films, workshops, ceremony, infoshare and music
including Ailbhe Hines (Women's struggle), Laurence Cox (Global people's movements), Sem Karoba + Piera Sarsini (What's wrong with development), Mark Doris (Intl. West Papua developments) + speaker and workshop on Activism & Direct Action.

*€5 donation to register

- Possible local solidarity action with peace protests
- Handouts and infoshare (bring your own)
- Bring communal food to share
- Closing ceremony with jam session and dancing

Hey folks,

You are invited to come along to our organising meeting at Bewleys, Westmoreland St., Dublin 2pm on Saturday to organise the forthcoming oneBIGtribe: tribal freedom festival for Sem and West Papua. Please confirm with Piera before coming: 085 7285113

We only have about 2 weeks left and time is tight. We need all the help, ideas and energy you can give. It is gonna be tough work but it will be great!
Sem needs this support on a spiritual, cultural, friendship and financial level. Let's rally up the peace troops!

A Letter of Invitation, by Sem Karoba

Welcome! I would like to express my special thanks and deep appreciation to my Irish brothers and sisters helping towards this very important event in West Papua history of the struggle against colonialism and imperialism of any kinds.

The purpose of this festival is to introduce West Papua and its cause to the world. I have closely monitoring and praying for similar events around the globe. At the international arena, there have been three Solidarity Conferences held so far. Then on 28 February 2003, friends and supporters in Australia are organise a Concert by the name of Morning Star Concert, which I believe is bringing so many people.

This is another event to happen in Europe. And there will be more and more festivals and concerts to be held around the word in years to come, until West Papua is free and independent.

Many people have told me, "Well, actually you are going to create a new state, with just the same president, ministers, army, police, law and order, and politicians anyway. The only difference is replacing those Indonesians with Papuans. So, you better off speaking for equality, better life, peace and justice in West Papua, rather than independence". 

My answer has been this: "Let us go to Irish people and ask, 'Do you think it is worth to have your own president, ministers, army, police, law and order and politicians?' because they surely know what 'independence' means for a people."

Now I have come to Ireland and met Irish people, and the answer is exactly what I expected: "They know what independence means for a people"

They have done a lot for their country, for Apartheid, for East Timor and for West Papua. This movement is not going to be stopped by anyone. Except there is a clear statement by Indonesia regarding the history of West Papua occupation since 1963.

On behalf of my elders, I would like to ask for:

Your contribution to make this event happen
Your support for our campaigns 

Your support to organise talks, concerts, and gigs so that myself and other Papuan colleagues of mine can come and do our best to educate the world about the cause.

Please also read some articles I wrote when I am in Ireland that explain some of the issues I briefly mentioning here.

I welcome you all, to come to the Tribal Freedom Festival, NUI Maynooth, Republic of Ireland on 22 March 2003.

Go raibh maith agat, agus slán

Sem Karoba