United Liberation Movement for West Papua
Media Statement, 5th September 2018.
How much money is Indonesia spending on its war against West Papuans? Questions at Pacific Islands Forum as 93 West Papuans arrested, and Vanuatu seeks PIF support for UN motion on West Papua.
Governments at the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru are no doubt wondering if Indonesia’s war against unarmed West Papuans is reflected in the dramatic depreciation of the Indonesian rupiah. Yesterday, Jakarta’s Minister for Economic Affairs claimed in Channel News Asia that the depreciation—with the rupiah at its lowest in 20 years—was ‘illogical’.
However, waging war costs money, even against unarmed students, and the rupiah plunged midst reports of hundreds of West Papuan students arrested by 100 Police, 30 Intelligence Agents, 7 Detachment 88 ‘Anti-terror Special Forces’ and 8 military vehicles. Eventually, after torturing admissions out of the young democrats, eighty-three were charged and incarcerated.
The Melanesian activists were using different currency to deliver their message. With no evidence that Indonesia is able to govern West Papuans, or resolve the long-standing conflict, they were calling on Pacific Island Forum leaders to support a motion being raised by Vanuatu at the 2019 UN General Assembly for an Act of Self-determination in West Papua.
“This motion” said ULMWP Spokesperson Jacob Rumbiak “enables Pacific-island leaders to acknowledge that the conflict between Jakarta and West Papuans is an international political issue—not an internal domestic problem— that can now only be resolved with third-party negotiation (the UN).”
“The unitary republic needs help to liberate itself from a quagmire of obfuscation about its place in West Papua, and its compulsion to run military operations alongside social-development programs”.
Jacob Rumbiak Spokesperson
United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP)
Nauru, 5 September 2018
ULMWP peace actions on 3 September 2018 in Jayapura, Manokwari,and Sorong (West Papua) were organised by the West Papua Peoples Democratic Movement (GARDA) and the National Solidarity Movement of West Papua Student and Youth (SONAMAPA) and in Java, Bali and Sulawesi by the West Papua Student Alliance (AMP). Their efforts were amplified on 4 September by students at Cenderawasih State University and the University of Science and Technology in Jayapura.
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Website : www.ulmwp.org | Email: [email protected]| Telephone +61497867
ULMWP Office: Winston Churchill Street, Port Vila ,Republic of Vanuatu
