Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 05:26:12 -0600
URGENT: Massacre in Wamena
From: George Monbiot [mailto:g.monbiot@zetnet.co.uk]
Sent: 06 October 2000 09:49
Subject: MASSACRE IN WEST PAPUA - URGENT NEWS
POLICE MASSACRE IN WEST PAPUA
4 killed, 18 injured, as fighting breaks out in Central Highlands.
Contact Sem Karoba in Wamena: 00 62 969 593160 (mobile)
This morning, at 7.30 pm local time, four men were shot dead and 18 injured
after Indonesian police opened fire on demonstrators in the town of Wamena, West
Papua. The demonstrators were seeking to fly the flag of West Papuan
independence, but the police had cut the flagpole down with a chainsaw.
Fighting broke out, during which the police opened fire. While most of the
casualties were on the West Papuan side, two policemen were wounded with arrows,
and taken to hospital in the West Papuan capital, Jayapura.
Fighting has now spread through Wamena and the surrounding countryside, and
latest reports suggest that it continues to escalate.
Contact Sem Karoba in Wamena: 00 62 969 593160 (mobile)
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
wpcore-unsubscribe@egroups.com
===================================================
LEMBAGA STUDI DAN ADVOKASI HAK ASASI MANUSIA (ELS-HAM)
Institute for Human Rights Study and Advocacy (Ihrstad)
Jln. Kampus ISTP - Padang Bulan, Jayapura - PAPUA BARAT
Tel/Fax: 62-967-581600/581520; email:elsham_irja@jayapura.wasantara.net.id
(More information on Wamena at 14:00 - papuan time, October 6, 2000)
THE SITUATION IN WAMENA IS ESCALATING
Two Dead and 15 Wounded, the people are to fight back
After this morning Brimob and Police opened fire to the people forcing them to
lower the Papuan flag "morning star" ELS-HAM headquarter in Jayapura
have receiving reports from its human rights monitors in Wamena that the
situation now escalating. Latest reports said that 2 people dead, 15 wounded (12
people and 3 Brimob or police). This incident has provoked the people in the
Baliem valley, Wamena to now organising themselves to fight back. The
main bridges that connecting Kurima sub-district and Wamena town as well as
Kimbim and Wamena town have been cut off by the angry people and thousands of
people from various villages are reported to attack Wamena town. There is a
great concern that many lives will be lost in this situation. "We're
concerned that the frustration of the angry people to the security forces can be
directed to the non-papuans, " said a pastor in Wamena. Meanwhile the
situation in Wamena totally dead. Again please do something to eliminate any
further violence. ELS-HAM continuesly monitoring the situation and will keep
inform you on any developments.(@)
**************************************************
Paul Barber
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign,
25 Plovers Way, Alton Hampshire GU34 2JJ
Tel/Fax: 01420 80153
Email: plovers@gn.apc.org
Internet: www.gn.apc.org/tapol
Defending victims of oppression in Indonesia and
East Timor, 1973-2000
**************************************************
Subject: [wp] ELS-HAM: Wamena Urgent : Police shoot to lower Papuan flag
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 12:26:14 +0900
From: elsham_irja <elsham_irja@jayapura.wasantara.net.id>
Subject: Wamena Urgent : Brimob and Police Forced to Lower the Papuan Flag in
Wamena
URGENT ! URGENT! URGENT!
MOBILE BRIGADE AND POLICE OPENED FIRE TO LOWER THE PAPUAN FLAG IN WAMENA
One Dead and Six Wounded
(Wamena, October 6, 2000)
This morning around 6 o'clock (Papuan time) hundreds of Mobile Brigade (Brimob)
and Police opened fire to the people defending the Papuan flag "morning
star" in the Baliem valley - Wamena, Papua Barat. Six injured and 1
dead in the shooting. We received this report from Contact ELS-HAM Wamena this
morning. Brimob and the Police continue to crack down the "posko
Papua" (base where people gather to discuss various issue related to Papuan
independence). According to our human rights monitors in Wamena Brimob and the
Police still continue their action to villages outside Wamena town to lower the
Papuan flags hoisted by the people. But the people are
resisting. "We will defend the West Papuan flag till the last drop of our
blood," said a pro-independence militia in Wamena this morning over the
phone.
The instruction for lowering the Papuan flag by the chief police of Papua,
Brigadier general Silvanus Wenas, came out after a meeting that he had with the
national Police Chief commander, General Bimantoro, on September
27. This instruction then spread to all chief police in 12 regencies of Papua
province.
Since the People's Assembly (MPR) Annual meeting lasted on August 18, Jakarta
has taken very strong position against the movement for Freedom in Papua Barat.
Thousands of troops (Kostrad, Kopassus and Brimob)
including 6 British made warplanes Hawks 100 and Hawks 200 sent to Papua Barat.
MPR led by Amin Rais denied the change of name "Irian Jaya" to be
Papua by Gus Dur, the president, and pressured him to resolve what he calls as
"separatist movement" in Papua BARAT.
From different parts of Papua BARAT ELS-HAM headquarters in Jayapura receiving
reports that Brimob and Police have prepared to lower the Papuan flags and crack
down the Posko Papua, meanwhile the pro-independence
people are also preparing for resisting.
Please do whatever you can from your end to eliminate any further brutality in
Wamena and other parts of Papua BARAT. (@)
***********************************************************
Charles Scheiner
National Coordinator, East Timor Action Network/US
P.O. Box 1182, White Plains, New York 10602 USA
Telephone:1-914-428-7299; fax:1-914-428-7383 cell:1-914-720-9205
charlie@etan.org PGP key
available on request.
Check out ETAN's web site: http://www.etan.org
For information on East Timor write info@etan.org