23 March 2006
CAMPAIGN FOR WEST PAPUAN ASYLUM SEEKERS
Earlier this year, 43 West Papuan refugees landed in Australia after a 250km voyage across the ocean in a dug-out canoe, and requested asylum.
Herman Wainggai, a spokesman for the Papuan refugees, said that they had fled their homes because they were concerned that the Indonesian military was planning to target them. Some of the 43 have been arrested and tortured in the past for their non-violent resistance to the Indonesian occupation of their country. If they were to be deported to Indonesia or West Papua, they would all fear for their lives.
However to this point the Australian government has not granted them asylum. Australia has close ties with Indonesia, and just as happened with East Timor, seems reluctant to upset its powerful neighbour over what it sees as minor issues of human rights and 'territorial integrity'.
Campaigns have commenced in Australia calling for the Papuans to be released into the community on 'bridging visas' and to create a groundswell of public support to grant asylum to the 43 Papuan refugees.
For information about the history of West Papua and its takeover by Indonesia, and for details about the campaign on behalf of the asylum seekers visit the Free West Papua website.
UPDATE AS THIS BULLETIN WAS BEING ISSUED THE NEWS WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE WEST PAPUAN ASYLUM SEEKERS HAD BEEN GRANTED 3 YEAR TEMPORARY PROTECTION VISAS TO REMAIN IN AUSTRALIA
