Australians protested around the country last week in solidarity with the 43 West Papuan refugees who have been detained by the federal government on Christmas Island. The protesters called on the government to immediately release the asylum seekers into the community and grant them permanent refugee status in Australia.
In Canberra, Jude Morton reports, 120 people rallied in Garema Place on January 25 in a protest organised by the Refugee Action Collective, the Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) and the Socialist Alliance.
Speakers at the action called not only for the release of the asylum seekers, but also for an end to military ties between Canberra and Jakarta, and for a referendum in West Papua so that the people can decide their territory's future.
The wide range of speakers at the rally reflected the broad community support for the West Papuans. They included Andrew Hall from the Refugee Action Committee; Rose Costelloe from the AWPA; Gregor Henderson, president-elect of the Uniting Church; and Errol Ayamseba from the West Papuan community in Canberra. Costelloe spoke about the 40-year history of oppression in West Papua and called for the refugees to be released, not held incommunicado on Christmas Island.
Deb Foskey, Greens MLA, read a statement of support from Greens Senator Kerry Nettle, who is planning to meet with the refugees on Christmas Island. Nick Everett, the rally chair, read a message of support from Australian Democrats Senator Natasha Stott Despoja.
Anglican bishop George Browning also addressed the crowd before it marched to Liberal Senator Gary Humphries' office. There, a number of West Papuans spoke about the situation in their country and performed music. The protesters chanted "Refugees, freedom now! West Papua, freedom now!" and "We are Melanesian, not Indonesian!".
Humphries' office was contacted earlier to invite the senator to address the protest, but his staff declined saying that Humphries was on leave.
According to AWPA activists, Humphries is well informed about the human rights situation in West Papua. He should therefore be called on to lead a push within the Liberal Party to have the refugees immediately released.
Sashi Dharann reports from Melbourne that the AWPA organised a snap action on January 24 calling for freedom for the asylum seekers and for West Papua.
One hundred and twenty people converged outside the immigration department office and listened to speakers from Melbourne's West Papuan community, the Greens, Action in Solidarity with Asia and the Pacific, and refugee-rights activist Pamela Curr.
Jacob Rumbiak, spokesperson for the West Papuan National Coalition for Liberation who is now resident in Melbourne, told Green Left Weekly, "Something has got to change in Canberra if we are to move forward in any way". He added that the Australian government "needs to relate to the people's struggles in Indonesia for democracy, and not just strengthen military ties".
After listening to the speakers, some of the demonstrators marched through the city to Federation Square. More actions are being planned to keep up the pressure on the federal government to free the asylum seekers and grant them permanent refugee status.
From Green Left Weekly, February 1, 2006.
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