wp 1) Papua-New-Guinea townspeople join rally for West Papua independence

Papua-New-Guinea townspeople join rally for West Papua independence

Supporters of independence for West Papua joined asylum seekers from the Indonesia province in a march through Wewak, on Papua New Guinea’s northern coast, on Monday for the United Nations-sponsored International Human Rights Day. The about 1,000 marchers shouted: “Indonesia terrorists, Papua New Guinea independence,” before they gathered outside the Wewak police station

From News Reports:
Wewak, December 12: The president of Papua New Guinea’s East Sepik province’s Women’s Council, Sophie Mangai, led a procession of about 1,000 people, including members of the West Papua community, in Wewak on Monday for the United Nations-sponsored International Human Rights Day.
Women vendors at Wewak town market reportedly joined the march.
They also donated money, food, drinks and various garden foods to West Papua asylum seekers.
“I am deeply saddened to say that our brothers and sisters in West Papua are currently subjected to all forms of violence – physical, sexual, torture and death,” the National newspaper quotes Sophie Mangai as saying.
“Why are we keeping silent when the Indonesians are abusing the rights of our brothers?” she asked of the Papua New Guinea government.
“West Papuans are our brothers and sisters; we are one people; one ancestor; and one Melanesia in the Pacific. So we must drive out Indonesia from the land of West Papua.”
West Papuan Abraham Kareni, who has sought refuge in Wewak on New Guinea’s northern coast, said a purpose of the procession was to gauge what help, if any, the Pacific countries would give to West Papua in its effort to become an observer at the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation – an umbrella group for organisations seeking independence for West Papua, such as the Free Papua Movement – which was formed on December 20, 2005, has raised West Papua’s bid for independence in Oceania’s regional organisations.
It is also seeking observer status for West Papua with the Melanesian Spearhead Group and has announced that it will ask the Papua New Guinean government to raise the question of West Papua at the Pacific Islands Forum and discuss their agenda for independence.
The Southeast Asian Times