AYIPN Statement on Violence Against West Papuan Students
On May 6, Indonesian police opened fire on Indigenous high school students in Nabire during their graduation day. The students painted their clothes with the Morning Star symbol, the flag of West Papua as well as a symbol of freedom and right to self-determination. Six students were arbitrarily arrested.
AYIPN strongly condemns this act of violence against the West Papua youth and students. Graduation is supposed to be a milestone day for the students, a day they have chosen to celebrate their identity and assert their right to self-determination. Instead, the Indonesian police have tainted it with their baseless violence. This is in no way tolerable, as the police act is a violation of basic human rights. Worse, the police have chosen to open fire toward unarmed youth.
Last May 1 marked the 61 years of Indonesia’s continuing occupation of West Papua. That is six decades of violence across West Papua. This incident of the Indonesian government barring West Papuans from enjoying their right to education and the right to assert their identity is just one of the long list of human rights violations committed against West Papua. Just early this year, two video clips surfaced showing the Indonesian Military torturing a Papuan, Defianus Kogoya, inside a drum.
The Asia Young Indigenous Peoples Network condemns the violent attacks against Indigenous youth. We stand in solidarity with West Papuan youth, recognizing and celebrating their resolve in the fight for their right to protest, to freedom of expression, to peaceful assembly and as indigenous youth, their right to self-determination. We call upon the international community to join us in advocating for an end to the occupation, and for a free West Papua.
We salute the young Papuans’ militant resolve to fight for their right to self-determination!
Reference:
Funa-ay Claver
ayipn.youthnetwork@gmail.com
