Call on NZ to respond to violence in West Papua

Press Release: Indonesia Human Rights Committee

Indonesia Human Rights Committee,
Box 68-419,
Auckland, 1125

Media Release: 20 October, 2011

Call on NZ Government to respond to escalating security force violence in West Papua

The Indonesia Human Rights Committee urges the Government to take action to protect people at grave risk from ongoing security force violence in West Papua.
In a letter to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance we have urged action on the issue of military violence and live fire used against delegates to the Third Congress of the Papuan people in Jayapura, as well as against the intimidating presence and the violent actions of the military and police around the Freeport McMoran mine.

We are urging that there be an urgent impartial inquiry into the deaths of two miners who were participating in legal strike action at the Freeport McMoran mine, near Timika. Both these deaths are reported to be at the hands of Indonesian security forces. Those responsible must be held to account. Security forces have been present in large numbers over the past month while the workers have been pursuing legal strike action to try to bring their wages in conditions into parity with those of Freeport workers elsewhere in the world.

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