United for Justice and Love, Report from NUI Maynooth Festival
Forty Years of Indonesian Occupation 'One Big Tribe', Follow Up Action from NUI Maynooth Festival
A Thank You Letter from Sem Karoba

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

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

A Speech by Sem Karoba at the Green Party Ireland's Annual Convention, Ennis, Co. Clare, 1 March 2003

Demmak - West Papua Addresses the Green Party Ireland Annual Convention, 1-2 March 2003, in Ennis, Co. Clare, Republic of Ireland

ARE WE PART OF THE PROBLEM OR PART OF THE SOLUTION? A Reflection on Two Major Problems in West Papua & what we can contribute to solve them
(Word Format) By Sem Karoba

West Papua: Betrayed but Not Defeated, by Sem Karoba, Presented to Students Groups in the Republic of Ireland

Tribal Democracy: A System of Governance for All Communities of Beings

Headline Updates

United for Justice and Love

The One Big Tribe festival for West Papua took place over the Spring Equinox at Maynooth University in Ireland. People came from the USA, England, and the Netherlands especially for the festival and a wide array of nationalities were representated including 7 Papuans, Australians, a New Zealander and some Italians. The diversity of the attendees reflected the mix of ideas and backgrounds of the various visitors - who each brought their own ideas, experience and energies.

The festival began with a ceremonial singing of Irish (Liam O'Maonlai) and Papuan (Sem Karoba) songs in front of a backdrop of the morning star flag. Irish rockers 'The Kitch' got the crowd buzzing with some good old rock and roll and finished with an amazing rendition of Bob Marley's 'redemption song'.  Next up was Papuan dancers Sampari who brought the beauty of Papuan culture to life.  The growing crowd got into the drumming and chanting and the passion for Papuan freedom was growing by the second.  When it was time for Sampari to finish - the crowd demanded more and Sampari were only too happy to reply with a storming version of a Papuan freedom song. 

Next up, members of the Latin American Solidarity Centre in Dublin gathered for a set of deep harmonic songs from across the globe providing a perfect introduction and scene setter for Papuan Tribesman to come on stage to tremendous welcome and applause. The crowd was buzzing and one visitor remarked 'with this energy, you all should be linked in to the national grid'.  Sem brought the sadness and strength of the Papuan struggle for political, cultural and spiritual freedom to the venue with some of his own (Recently recorded) songs as well as older, more traditional Papuan songs. He was joined on his stage by his friend and fellow warriror, Irish singer Liam O'Maonlai.  The spirit of Irish culture and resistance was merged and songs were followed by a mournful silence as news of the U.S bombing of Baghdad arrived.

It was late in the night and everyone was highly charged with the amazing and unique energy of the setting (draped in Papuan flags and icons) and the amazing Hothouse Flowers were the perfect followup to get everyone dancing, celebrating and rejoicing in our solidarity and connectedness.  Indeed the crowd was so charged that the music spilled over outside to the carpark when the concert was finished.

Next day, an early and tired start brought dozens of people to a Global Forum for West Papua at Maynooth.  All were tired but still in awe at the success of the previous night.  Throughout the day, which turned out to be sunny and warm, participants joined in circle formation for talks and idea sharing on West Papua, Women's struggle, Global resistance, and 'ways forward' as well as the sharing of songs, dancing and tears. 

Overall, the passion, energy, ideas, awareness and money raised for the West Papuan struggle will form an unstoppable force for peace in Papua as well as an eternal thorn in the side of the Indonesian government. Plans are already in place for followup work, projects and actions. 
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