Sabtu, Juni 15, 2002 07:01:12

Letter from Benny Wenda, to the World: I am not a criminal, neither a thief, or a killer: I am standing for my people and my coutry, for a free and independent West Papua

AMP Numbay Reporting
Translation: AMP International

15 June 2002

I am not a criminal, neither a thief, or a killer: I am standing for my people and my coutry, for a free and independent West papua We visited Benny Wenda today at 04:00PM (+9GMT) 

This is his statement to us:

Hallo everybody, all humans, supporters and friends of West Papua in the world.

Thank you for your support and concerns over the problems in West Papua, particulary for my arrest by the Indonesian police.

I was arrested with charges that I posses two passports, that I was involved in the attack in Abepura 6 December 2000, and 

that I was chairing meetings to attack military posts in West Papua.

My arrest is not because these charges. I am the Secretary-General of the Koteka Tribal Assembly (Demmak), I am standing for my people for West Papua independence. I know no compromise at any levels at all to modify or to deviate the aspiration of my people. I am fighting to free West Papua from state-terrorism.

My arrest is directly and automatically connected to my position as the key figure in Demmak, and nothing else. All charges are made up. This country is a country full of lies. 

I am a political prisoner, pure political prisoner and nothing else. I am here for my people and my country. I will stand up 
for my people and my country. I will fight until West Papua is independent, state-terrorist is out of this soil.

Hello to all of you. Let us unite, let us fight for the TRUTH. This is a legally, politically, morally and democratically justified cause for all human beings on earth.

Benny Wenda (in Police Custody, Port Numbay)