US Lawmakers Urge Indonesia to Free Papuan Activist

Washington. More than two dozen US lawmakers on Monday urged Indonesia to free Papuan activist Filep Karma, saying that his detention raised questions about the emerging US ally’s commitment to democracy.
Karma was sentenced to 15 years in prison after a 2004 demonstration in which he raised a banned flag associated with separatism in Papua, an ethnically distinct and impoverished province of the vast archipelago.
Twenty-six members of the US House of Representatives across party lines sent a letter to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urging Karma’s release and saying he has suffered “degrading and inhumane treatment” in prison.

“As a strategic partner, we remain concerned that your government meet its fundamental obligations to protect the rights of its people, as respect for human rights strengthens democracy,” the letter said. More>>US Lawmakers Urge Indonesia to Free Papuan Activist | The Jakarta Globe