VANIMO: A women's human rights and civil justice group has protested over the detention of West Papuan refugees who were arrested by Papua New Guinean authorities last month and have appealed to Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to free them.
They have asked him in an open letter to set free all 76 Papuan women, men and children being held by PNG authorities.
DAWN's letter said:
Dear Prime Minister Somare,
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) calls for the immediate release of the 76 women, men and children (including babies) who were recently arrested from a refugee camp in Vamino, Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea, and whose property and crops were destroyed in a series of armed raids on January 23, and who are known to be currently held in police custody.
As you are aware, the people of West Papua have struggled for independence from Indonesia for the past 48 years. Many such refugees continue to look to Papua New Guinea for transitional and long-term support, refuge and as a transit point to arrange third country asylum.
We therefore remind the Papua New Guinean government of your state obligations under international human rights law, especially with regard to provisions relating to safety of refugees, and in particular the rights of women and children.
We note in particular the UN Convention on Refugees (1951) and the 1967 Protocol to which Papua New Guinea is a signatory since 1986, including the definition of the term “refugee,” and the so-called principle of non-refoulement, i.e. that no Contracting State shall expel or return (“refouler”) a refugee, against his or her will, in any manner whatsoever, to a territory where he or she fears persecution.
We also call your attention to the Convention against All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in particular Article 22 regarding rights of children seeking refugee status or considered a refugee in accordance with applicable international law and procedures.
Therefore we call for:
1. Immediate release of all West Papuan refugees from Vanimo camp, and assurance of highest forms of protection of women, children and babies until the time of release;
2. Full and transparent PNG government investigation on the role of PNG armed forces in the events at Vanimo, and subsequent arrest and property damage of West Papua refugees;
3. The PNG government to work with Pacific Island countries, and Governments of the Republics of Vanuatu, Senegal, and Commonwealth States of New Zealand and Australia to assist any displaced West Papuan refugees to seek asylum in a third country if they so require;
4. The PNG Government to work with the international community in ensuring the fundamental rights of West Papuans in Papua New Guinea are respected and protected according to the international law on refugees and human rights; including providing immediate access to UNHCR, UN Women and other international aid agencies to ensure wellbeing and safety of the refugees.
5. The PNG government to take action on the information that it is the Indonesian military that is causing instability in West Papua - not the actions of a few West Papuan refugees struggling for their survival. The recent reports of the torture of West Papuans by the Indonesian security forces, the release of the Kompassus Secret Report and the information from the WikiLeaks cables about US concerns at the activities of the TNI in relation to West Papua, aptly show this.
6. The PNG government to therefore call on the USA and Australia to immediately stop all funding of military training and other activities of the Kopassus/Indonesian Military. These countries continue to provide millions of dollars each year in resources and capabilities to the Indonesian military who in turn have terrorised civilian populations and freedom fighters in West Papua over the past 48 years.
Yours sincerely,
Gigi Francisco,
DAWN General Coordinator
- DAWN/Pacific Media Watch
Pacific Media Watch
