As Chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), I call upon the Indonesian government not to move Agus Kossay and Buchtar Tabuni from West Papua to Jakarta. These men were arrested but they are not terrorists or criminals, they are political prisoners. Agus Kossay is the Chairman of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and Buchtar Tabuni is a leader of the ULMWP’s Legislative Committee. Both organisations are committed to the peaceful road to West Papua’s self-determination.
The Indonesian government is well aware of this. They want to try to divide West Papuans and keep our voices silent. Why is Indonesia afraid of peaceful West Papuan leaders speaking up for self-determination in accordance with democracy and our fundamental human rights?
The eyes of the world are watching Indonesia now. Foreign governments and the United Nations will judge the Indonesian police and all relevant authorities accordingly if they violate Agus and Buchtar’s human rights and force them out of West Papua. I hereby call upon the United Nations, the international community and all international human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to pressure the Indonesian government to respect the human rights of all West Papuan people and not force Agus and Buchtar out of West Papua.
The abuse of these West Papuan people’s human rights is the abuse of all West Papuan people’s human rights.
Benny Wenda
Chairman
United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP)
