WestPapua@topica.com,  tribal-melanesia@yahoogroups.com

REPORT ON THE SITUATION OF PAPUAN REFUGEES IN VANIMO, SANDAUN PROVINCE,
PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Date: 12 March 2003

Introduction


There are various difficulties faced by our people here due to the lack of equipment for communicating problems that develop here in Vanimo, PNG. We lack the funding to provinde minimum communication equipment that we can use to communicate what is happening here.
We would like to ask our diplomats and supporters abroad to help us in this case. We need computer, telephone line set up, Internet connection, Fax machine, Video Camera and Photo Camera that are useful for communication.

Attached is report on what PNG government is doing against their own people from West Papua.

We would like to thank you for your attention, understanding and support.

Vanimo, PNG
12 March 2003

Yalpy M. Yikwa
Secretary

--------------

PNG POLICE OPERATIONS BACKED BY INDONESIAN COLONIAL POWER: BURNING OF HOUSES, GARDEN, ARREST OF PAPUAN REFUGEES OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN REFUGEES CAMP


On Monday 10 March 2003, percisely 05:00AM (early morning) local time, PNG Police (Mobile Brigade) attacked the residence of refugees in PNG.

Six people were arrested, namely:

1. Timoti Wenda
2. Frans Gombo
3. Telius Yikwa
4. Ibu Tarina Yikwa
5. Ajun Tony Kogoya
6. Alisina Kogoya

They were all arrested after they were ordered to get out from their houses. Afterwards, four houses were set on fire and burned down. All their belongings were all burned down, their garden were smashed (incudling plants of bananas, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and fruits).

Afterwards, the six arrested people were thrown into the car belong to the police and were taken away. We heard Vanimo Bishop was taking care of them, but not sure what actually happening to them.

On Tuesday, 11 March 2003 at the same time, the same troop came to Black Wara Camp and attacked the houses, and arrested the following:

1. Nizcon Wenda
2. Os Gombo
3. Kotinus Yikwa
4. Siaron Karoba
5. Sim Tabuni
6. Yokiman Wenda
7. Yunier Enumbi
8. Yukilera Wenda
9. Melina Wenda
10. Lina Tabuni

After arresting them, they also burned four more houses that the refugees build recently as their refuge after fleeing from West Papua.
The police told the refugees, "The Government of Indonesia has paid us our ciggeret money, so we must do this job as requested by them."

After searching all houses (before being set on fire), they found the belongings of the refugees such as Radio, Cassettes, Binoculars, Money K-400 (belongs to Sairon Karoba), cigarretes, wrist watches, and they police said,
"Now we own these all, you have noting."

Then they burn and cut down all plants we have in the yard, the sources of our food for our survival. They also put the 10 arrested people into their truck and brought them towards the same direction as they went the day before. The rest of us ran away to the jungles and not going back to our camp due to continous threat and search by the paid-police of PNG government.

Such operations will continue in the coming days, weeks and months. The purpose is obvious, to fulfill the demand of the Indonesian government.
The colonial government of Indonesia, according to our sources, has paid sufficient and satisfactory amount of money to the police and army officials of PNG to carry out this task.

We are asking our supporters and diplomats around the world to folow up this report, and submit the report to appropriate international bodies and persons.

This report is written trully and honestly based on our own eye-witness.

Vanimo, Sandaun Province, Papua New Guniea

12 March 2003

Y. M. Yikwa
Secretary

E. Gombo
Coordinator


----------


INDONESIA - PNG COOPERATION (DEAL) TO ELIMINATE PAPUAN PEOPLES' MOVEMENT FOR OUR FUNDAMENTAL AND INAILENABLE RIGHTS AND OUR RESPONSE


That the colonial power of Indonesia and PNG governments have begun a co-operatin deal, following a series of meetings. On 15 November 2002, there was a meeting held in Vanimo, PNG, hosted by the Indonesian Consulate Office in Vanimo. A follow up meeting was scheduled for 20 December 2002, but it did not happen due to the trouble erupted at the border on 16 December 2002; which in fact triggered by the Indonesian military in order to justify and show the threat of security issue along the border. This incident alerted the PNG government to do the job more seriously than before, a very good, but unwise scenario of the Indonesian authorities.

Indonesia took a different root to follow up the meeting on 15 November 2002. The Indonesian army shot its own personnel, and three human rights activists around the border areas, once again, in order to show and justify that the border is not secure and safe anymore; and therefore both PNG and Indonesia should take actions against the Papuan people from West Papua.

Following these incidents, according to our intelligence report, Indonesia paid Rp.20 million (equiv. US$2,500,000; In words: Two Million and Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) to the PNG authorities/ Foreign Affaris Department to carry out requests from the Indonesian authorities to send back Papuan people in Vanimo, PNG.

Both governments are determined, regardless of our concers and fear of death when they send us back to West Papua, to repatriate us by force.

In response, we would like to once again declare our reaction as follows:

1. We, the refugees from West Papua who now take refuge in Papua New Guinea strongly reject the plan to return us by force, and we will never want and have the willingness to return to West Papua, as we know that PNG government is not acting genuinely on the basis of humanity, but just because of being
paid by colonial power in Melanesian territory.

2. We, the refugees from West Papua, hereby strongly express our position against the governments of Indonesian colonial power and PNG that we are more prepared to die in the hands of our own Melanesian brothers, the PNG army and police rahter than to die in the hands of the colonial power of Malay-Indonesians. We are prepared to die in the hands of our own brothers and sisters in PNG rather than being once more killed by the Indonesian troops. We have enough blood shed by the Indonesian authorities, and if our brothers and sisters in PNG would like to share the bloodsheds with Indonesians, then we are more than prepared to take that very risk.

3. We, the refugees of year 2000, hereby strongly reject the PNG plan to move us to Kiunga/ Isawon, PNG. Moving us to this area is the same as genocidal action. Thousands of Papuans have died there. This is not a good place for human to live, not good place for highlanders. We have our houses and gardens and already settled in Vanimo, PNG, therefore, any plan to remove us from our own Papua land is against our will to freely and safely live in our land. We are under the protection of Vanimo Bishop, therefore,
we are willing to stay in Vanimo forever.

4. If PNG government is really want to get rid of us, the only way out is to send us to a neutral and new country, rather than removing us to Kiunga or sending us back to West Papua.

We send this report to our diplomats and supporters abroad so that our voice is heard by the world and that inhuman treatments here can be broung to an end.

Both PNG and Indonesian colonial governments are continuously intimidating and terrorising us, therefore, may this report be brougt to the attention of international community.

We extend our special gratitude to all of you.

Vanimo, Sandaun Province, PNG

12 March 2003

Y. M. Yikwa
Secretary

E. Gombo
Coordinator

 http://www.fpcn-global.org/tribes/o...mail_png_pm.php