 |
|
We, the Alliance of Students of West Papua (AMP), through our representative in Europe, come to the Headquarter of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva. We are asking for further information about what is actually happening with the internal inquiry launched by the IRCR last year, related to the deaths of 8 civilians in Geselema where white and Indonesian soldiers used the ICRC helicopter to gun down the villagers.
We believe that we need the ICRC to operate in West Papua in the near future, but we also know that the people of West Papua will not trust the ICRC anymore. We would like to work together to redeem the ICRC. s reputation in West Papua, so that the ICRC can safely work in the area sooner.
Thanks very much.BLOOD ON THE (RED) CROSS
Precisely on May 9, 1996, the village of Geselema in West Papua, the blood of at least 8 innocent civilians was shed on the "cross" of the "Red Cross." They were gunned down by white soldiers, guarded by five Indonesian helicopters and guided by a woman from the Red Cross whom local people have learnt to trust. Using the helicopter with Red Cross Flag tied up to it, the white soldiers approached Geselema. Villagers always welcome Red Cross helicopter, and they eagerly stepped forward to do so. This time, Red Cross was not in a mission to protect the wounded and sick and to take care for them, but to kill the villagers in Geselema. Suddenly, Sylviane Bonadei stepped out and pointed her fingers to Daniel Kogoya (one of the OPM Leaders) and suddenly the white soldiers started shooting the villagers. The villagers who came to welcome the ICRC helicopter were confused, scattered to the jungles and questioned: "Is this Red Cross that is killing us?" "Why should the credibility of this international body become damaged by this gunfire and murder?"
This is another brutality of the International bodies since the UN gave away the land of West Papua to Indonesia; after the USA started taking out the natural resources; and since Indonesia began committing acts of murder in the whole area of the country. These parties never acknowledged and respected the rights of Melanesians in West Papua. Now, the ICRC shows the same attitude to the rights of tribal people there.
This murder was a result of collusion between Indonesian army and the ICRC that has never been acknowledged openly and honestly. For three years, the ICRC has chosen to ignore what has happened to members of this global village, to the human beings that live in Geselema village of West Papua. Only after a journalist was interviewing about the massacre, that they showed a little interest to have an inquiry about the involvement of ICRC in the act of murder of innocent civilians.
From eyewitness accounts (hostages, the OPM, and villagers) and interviews with various parties appear on the video that it is no doubt that the ICRC was involved. If not directly, they chose not to stop the military operation being carried out in with their knowledge, using the helicopters booked on the ICRC name, and using the Red Cross Flag on the helicopter. If they did not know this, the ICRC did not launch and immediate investigation and report the result as soon as possible to the people. The ICRC just chose to ignore what happened in West Papua, just like the UN did in 1969, when the UN approved the alleged Act of Free Choice. (The Act of Free Choice was done to determine whether or not West Papua should integrate into Indonesia or become an independent nation. The result was that the people were forced at gunpoint to vote for Indonesia. The UN approved this illegal occupation.) It appears that the ICRC has and will become a tool that can be easily used by politicians and military in power, particularly in the areas like West Papua, if the people do not ask questions to the ICRC about its games in West Papua.
In July 1999, the video report about the interviews with various parties involved in the act of murder in Geselema was released by the ABC Australia and broadcasted by various TV channels in the world. Soon afterwards, the ICRC launched an investigation about the allegations. The investigation is regarded as unsatisfactory because it was not done thoroughly and comprehensively.
Since the investigation was launched up till now (February 28, 2000), there seems nothing is happening towards the demand of West Papua people for investigation of the murder.
In relation to the political processes and struggles in West Papua at the meantime, it is obvious that the ICRC will be involved. Various unexpected circumstances such as massacres, disappearances, bombings, and such are unlikely avoidable. However, unfortunately, people in West Papua have not yet recovered their trust to the credibility of the ICRC to work in Indonesia. s occupied territory of West Papua. "Will the ICRC be welcome in West Papua again?" is the question and worry shared by tribal people in West Papua. In other words, we are asking for the ICRC to redeem its reputation as soon as possible so that it can work safely and with credibility again in West Papua, if not anywhere else.