PAPUA ACTIVIST: POLITICAL PRISONERS MISTREATED

PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT

Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i

PAPUA ACTIVIST: POLITICAL PRISONERS MISTREATED
Eleven activists held for raising flag

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, April 14, 2008) – An activist for the Free West Papua Movement has expressed concern over the treatment of Papuans detained by Indonesian police over a series of demonstrations last month.

Nick Chesterfield says at least 70 Papuans have been detained for their involvement in the demonstrations against Special Autonomy status in main towns across the Papua region.

In Manokwari, eleven activists are being held on charges of rebellion and subversion, for raising the outlawed Morning Star Flag during their peaceful rally.

Mr Chesterfield says that despite being held with almost no outside contact, these activists have managed to relay complaints about their condition in prison to him.

He says they have no access to fresh water or air, and very little access to food.

"Under Indonesian law, political prisoners must be held separately from normal and especially violent criminals. And instead what the Indonesian police have been doing in Manokwari is deliberately putting the most violent people in the cells with these eleven political detainees."

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