[ETAN-key] ETAN Action Alert: Support Human Rights in West Papua
John M Miller
fbp at igc.org
Thu May 27 12:36:00 UTC 2010
[Please spread the word. Forward this message to your friends.]
ETAN Action ALERT
East Timor and Indonesia Action Network
Please do this simple task to support human rights and justice.
Call your representative in Congress. Urge him or her to co-sponsor
H. Res. 1355, The resolution, submitted by Rep. Patrick Kennedy urges
the government of Indonesia to improve human rights in West Papua.
Prisoners of Conscience Filep Karma,Yusak Pakage and others may spend
years more in prison in Indonesia for peacefully raising a flag.
Indonesian assaults on freedom of expression and abuse in its prisons
are well-documented. A year ago, the Indonesian government expelled
the International Committee of the Red Cross in West Papua.
What YOU can do:
Call your Representative today. Urge her/him to co-sponsor House
Resolution 1355 supporting human rights in Indonesia's West Papua. A
copy of the Resolution is below.
When you call, ask to speak to the foreign affairs legislative
assistant. The Congressional switchboard number is 202-224-3121 (ask
for the office of your Representative), or check www.congress.org for
contact information. To sign on to the resolution, the office should
contact Daniel Murphy in Rep. Patrick Kennedy's office (5-4911).
Your call can make the difference. Please keep us posted of the
results of your calls by writing to
<mailto:etan at etan.org>etan at etan.org.
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.res.01355:>Go here to
check on current go sponsors. Be sure to thank your representative if
she or he is on the list. Support ETAN's work by
<http://www.etan.org/etan/2010app.htm>donating today. Thank you!!
<https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=10367704>
[]
Talking points:
1. The U.S. Department of State, UN investigators and human rights
organizations have documented threats to freedom of expression and
dire prison conditions in the Indonesian provinces of West Papua and Papua.
2. The government of Indonesia must demonstrate its commitment to
freedom of expression by releasing people convicted for peacefully
expressing their political views, improving prison conditions, and
allowing access to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
3. The U.S. Congress needs to be a strong advocate for human rights
in Indonesia and elsewhere. Representative Kennedy's resolution is an
opportunity for members to express their commitment to the rule of
law and freedom of expression in Indonesia. This can only strengthen democracy.
4. The Congressmember should support human rights by co-sponsoring
House Resolution 1355 by contacting Dan Murphy in Rep. Patrick
Kennedy's office.
You can e-mail your member of Congress on the Resolution via
<http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=14040>Amnesty
International USA.
----------
111TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. l355
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the
human rights crisis in Papua and West Papua.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. KENNEDY submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on _____________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the
human rights crisis in Papua and West Papua.
Whereas the Department of State's 2008 Human Rights Report on
Indonesia documents the detention of at least 30 peaceful Papuan
activists, the killing of a Papuan man at a peaceful rally, and
additional evidence of suppressed speech, societal abuse, and
discrimination against religious groups, violence and sexual abuse
against women, child labor, and human trafficking;
Whereas the Government of Indonesia has
<http://www.etan.org/issues/wpapua/0905wpap.htm#Expels_>recently
banned the International Committee of The Red Cross(ICRC) from the
Provinces of Papua and West Papua which followed ICRC visits to
detention facilities;
Whereas a 2007 United Nations report by United Nations
<http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=A/HRC/7/3/Add.7&Lang=E>Special
Rapporteur on Torture, Manfred Nowak, found "widespread torture in
Indonesian prisons" and "the use of excessive force by Indonesian
security forces in particular in Papua" and that "beatings and other
forms of torture are entrenched in much of Indonesia's prison system
where a culture of impunity reigns";
Whereas Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid permitted Papuans to
fly the "morning star" flag as a cultural and historic symbol;
Whereas Amnesty International has identified numerous prisoners of
conscience in Indonesian prisons, among them Papuans such as
<http://www.etan.org/news/2008/08poc.htm>Filep Karma and Yusak
Pakage, imprisoned for peaceful political protests including the
display of the "morning star" flag which has historic, cultural, and
political meaning for Papuans;
Whereas <http://etan.org/news/2008/08poc.htm>40 Members of Congress
in 2008 petitioned Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on
behalf of Papuan political prisoners Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage;
Whereas a <http://www.hrw.org/reports/2007/papua0207/>Human Rights
Watch report on June 5, 2009, noted "torture and abuse of prisoners
in jails in Papua is rampant"; and
Whereas prominent Indonesian leaders have called for a national
dialogue and Papuan leaders have called for an
internationally-mediated dialogue to address long-standing grievances
in Papua and West Papua:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that
(1) the Government of Indonesia should report to the international
community specific progress made regarding
(A) the end of abuse of those detained by authorities in Papua and
West Papua and prosecution of those guilty of that abuse;
(B) actions taken by the Government of Indonesia to improve
conditions of incarceration, especially in Papua and West Papua;
(C) measures taken to protect the right of its citizens to peaceful
assembly and association as well as the freedom of speech and
specifically symbolic speech, such as raising banners or flags;
(D) compatibility of Indonesian law that criminalizes peaceful
political dissent and conflicting Indonesian commitments concerning
the rights to freedom of speech and assembly guaranteed by
international covenants to which Indonesia is a party, to include the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and
(E) provision to or access to detention facilities in West Papua by
recognized human rights monitoring institutions, including the
International Committee of The Red Cross; and
(2) the Government of Indonesia should allow an independent, third
party human rights organization to review prison conditions with
special attention to Papuan inmates and on the basis of that review,
formulate a series of recommendations to the Government of Indonesia
that would facilitate prison and legal reforms especially to
(A) address deficits in facilities, personnel training, and
procedures for the purpose of improving the humanitarian treatment of
those detained;
(B) formulating procedures, including judicial reform and legal
remedies to ensure that prison authorities face appropriate
punishment for mistreatment of those detained; and
(C) encourage reform of the Indonesian criminal code and sentencing
procedures to ensure that they reflect Indonesia's commitments under
international undertakings and Indonesia's own legal obligations to
protect fundamental human rights, including the rights to freedom of
speech and peaceful assembly and association.
see also
* <http://etan.org/news/2008/08poc.htm>Congress Demands Action on
West Papua Political Prisoners as Human Rights Violations Persist
* Amnesty International:
<http://www.amnestyusa.org/special-focus-cases/filep-karma-and-yusak-pakage/page.do?id=1101238&n1=3&n2=34&n3=53>Filep
Karma and Yusak Pakage, Prisoners of Conscience
* Human Rights Watch:
<http://www.hrw.org/reports/2007/papua0207/>Protest and Punishment -
Political Prisoners in Papua
*
<http://etan.org/action/action4/../../issues/wpapua/default.htm>West
Papua Report
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Thank you for your support.
John M. Miller, National Coordinator
East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN)
PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202-1873 USA
Phone: +1-718-596-7668 Mobile phone: +1-917-690-4391
Email john at etan.org Skype: john.m.miller
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