Senator The Honorary Bob Carr
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Senate
Parliament House
Canberra
RE: the deadly shooting in Papua, Indonesia
Dear Senator,
We, the concerned Australian academics and researchers, raise the issue of the recent deadly shooting in Sorong, Papua (Indonesia). The incident occurred on the night of 30 April 2013 when a joint patrol of the Indonesian police and army shot at a Papuan group who gathered to prepare the 50th anniversary of the transition of power from the UN Temporary Executive Administration (UNTEA) to Indonesia on 1 May 1963. Two young men were killed on the spot: Mr Abner Malagawak (22) and Mr Thomas Blesia (22). Three others were seriously injured and now are being treated in the local hospital in critical conditions: Ms Salomina Klaibin (42) who sadly died in the hospital on 6 May 2013, Mr Herman Lokmen (18), and Mr Andreas Safisa (24).
This brutal action by the Indonesian security service to their own people not only sparked a domestic public reaction but has prompted the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights to make a public statement. Since this incident is not novel, the latest deadly shooting by the Indonesian state authorities continues highlighting the longest unresolved conflict in our region.
It is our responsibility to protect civilians, particularly in our region, against any state brutality. West Papua is not far away from us. On the contrary, they are literally at our doorstep. Therefore, we appeal to you:
1. To request the Indonesian authorities to hold accountable all those who were involved in the abuse;
2. To publicly support President Yudhoyono’s willingness for peace dialogue with Papuans as a way to find a peaceful solution for West Papua in the long term;
3. To raise with the Indonesian authorities the urgency to protect local journalists and human rights workers in monitoring and reporting the human rights conditions in Papua;
4. To support the appeal of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights to have unrestricted access for the UN human rights mechanisms, international human rights organisations, scholars and journalists, to visit Papua.
We thank you for your kind attention.
Signatories
Dr Camellia Webb-Gannon, Visiting Scholar, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney
Professor Francesca Merlan, School of Archaeology and Anthropology, CASS, Australian National University
Dr Rebecca Monson, Lecturer, College of Law, Australian National University
Natasha Tusikov, PhD Scholar, Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University
Professor Alan Rumsey, Department of Anthropology, School of Culture, History and Language, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University
Ed Wensing FPIA, PhD Candidate, National Centre for Indigenous Studies, Australian National University
Budi Hernawan OFM, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University
Professor Peter King, West Papua Project, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney
Dr Jason MacLeod, Lecturer, University of Queensland
Annie Feith, Fieldwork Coordinator Community Development, College of Arts, Victoria University
Dr Nathan Harris, Research Fellow, Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University
Dr Annie Pohlman, Lecturer in Indonesian Studies, The University of Queensland
Sri Lestari Wahyuningroem, PhD Scholar, Political and Social Change, Australian National University
Dr Janet Hunt, Fellow, Australian National University
Dr Katie Young, Associate Professor, College of Law, Australian National University
S. Eben Kirksey, Ph.D. Environmental Humanities, University of New South Wales
Professor John Braithwaite, Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University
Dr Nick Cheesman, Lecturer, Political and Social Change, Australian National University
Professor Chris Sidoti, Australian Catholic University
Professor Neil Guningham, Regulatory Institutions Network and Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University
Dr Tyrell Haberkorn, Research Fellow, Political and Social Change, Australian National University
Fanny Cottet, PhD Scholar, School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University
Dr Tony Foley, Associate Professor, College of Law, Australian National University
Dr Ann Kent, Visiting Fellow, College of Law, Australian National University
Fajar Argo Djati, Master Student, Crawford School of Economics and Government, Australian National University
Dr Emma Larking, Australian Research Council Laureate Postdoctoral Fellow, Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University
Aloysia Brooks, Sessional Lecturer, Australian Catholic University
Niko Kobepa, PhD Scholar, School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University
Seung-Hun Hong, PhD Scholar, Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University
Dr Susan Harris Rimmer, Director of Studies, School of Regulation, Justice and Diplomacy, Australian National University
Professor Valerie Braithwaite, Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University
Dr Kathryn Henne, PhD Program Coordinator and Research Fellow
Ibolya Losoncz, PhD Scholar, Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University
Dr Kylie McKenna, Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University
Frederika Korain, Master Student, School of Archaeology and Anthropology, CASS, Australian National University
Filiga T Niko, Master Student, College of Law, Australian National University
Dr Blayne Haggart, Visiting Scholar, Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University
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Contact person: Budi Hernawan, OFM, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia. Email - budi.hernawan@anu.edu.au
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