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URGENT APPEAL FOR SUPPORT FOR WEST PAPUAN REFUGEES IN PNG AT RISK OF FORCIBLE RETURN

Posted on December 28th, 2006 by Nick.
Categories: Uncategorized.

March 10, 2007

UPDATE

Hi Folks,
a quick message to say thank you to all that have donated money towards the relief of the refugees from the March 16 violence.
So far a total of $3100 was raised through donations, and I put $900 in myself by working long nightshifts. That money was divided up between the various groups at $1000 intervals, minus the Western Union fees ($35 per transfer),. I am still awaiting a report back as to how the money was used on the West Coast PNG (ie Vanimo and Bewani) - hence the delay in this report back.
Many donors have asked me not to publicly identify them, but I thank them nonetheless for their ongoing genorosity, especially those on low incomes (who contributed more, which always makes me have faith in humanity - the unmoneyed part of it).
I will publicly thank AWPA SA, Rob Wesley-Smith, FPCN, AWPA WA, Great Lakes RAR, and people associated with FWPCP in Melbourne. All else, you know who you are and thank you kindly.

Now the time for the brutal honesty. This was never intended as anything but an emergency fundraising stopgap measure to keep people alive. However, due to events outside our team’s control, the Abepura students have not taken up what we set up for them in terms of the formal refugee process, nor have they followed movement opportunities set up for them. And because of their lack of confidence of support by PNG people, many have decided to risk return, an have been captured ass a result. Case in point is Chosmos Yual, who is undergoing trial in Jayapura currently. Unfortunately though the choice is theirs, and they need to take up those options to gain a degree of permanence.

On a personal note, my health has deteriorated significantly because of the damaged caused by bugs caught inside, and I have not had a chance to start my break. So we have set up a crew in Melbourne who will now take this on permanently, and I will try to get myself healthy again. The setup will be the same as before, ie every $1000 raised will be transferred directly. Any further inquiries should be directed via the Melbourne Free West Papua office at (03) 9445 0311 or jimi_cocking@yahoo.com.au. All previous donation methods are now superceded by the following.

The new account details are:
AWPA Melbourne Campaign Account
Commonwealth Bank
SWIFT Code CTBAAU2S (for International Transfers)
Home Branch: Melbourne East
BSB 063012
Account Number 10303295
And once again, it it vital that any transfer for this is referenced “For Abepura Refugees” otherwise it will get lost.

Or Donate via Paypal by clicking here:

Thank you,
In Solidarity,

Nick Chesterfield

December 26, 2006

URGENT APPEAL FOR SUPPORT FOR WEST PAPUAN REFUGEES IN PNG AT RISK OF FORCIBLE RETURN

DEAR SUPPORTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS,

I am writing to you to appeal for urgent emergency assistance to assist at high risk refugees in immediate danger of a humanitarian emergency and forcible return from Papua New Guinea by Indonesian military personnel.

These refugees are students who were forced to flee West Papua after the events of March 16, 2006 at Cenderawasih University (click here for a copy of the report). They make up the bulk of the student population of West Papua and have been hunted consistently by the Indonesian military for their perceived involvement in the clashes that followed.

I personally had to assist many of these students to come to a staging point before I had to leave the country, and have been trying to get institutional support to no avail. Due to lack of support, many of them then had to return and their safety had been compromised.
We have received desperate pleas from many of the refugees regarding their immediate situation, including many who have been made very sick through malnutrition and malaria.

One of our refugees, Chosmos Yual, has been captured recently by Indonesian Special Forces troops operating with impunity deep in PNG territory, and is currently in Abepura prison without charge undergoing mistreatment at the hands of the Indonesian authorities. 26 further have had to return because there is no money to assist them in PNG and their safety is at grave risk. Furthermore, one woman is seven months pregnant with no access to health care.

We have as yet unconfirmed information that several of the refugees who had to return have been killed by BIN (Indonesian intelligence) operatives.

We are appealing to people in the lucky country in which we live to dig deep to get a lasting solution for the welfare of these people, who will be killed if captured by the Indonesian military. Sell up some of your Christmas gifts if you have to: all people are asking for in Papua is the simple gift of life. We have identified a safe haven and a third country has indicated acceptance for these people, but we desperately need funds to enable our teams to get them there. We are asking to raise at A$10,000 in total, but we need a minimum of three thousand just to keep them alive, but this will be ongoing. There is no other support for these people, and unfortunately this is not tax deductible due to the Australian governments hostility to basic human rights and dignity for West Papuan people.

What you can do
make representations to the UNHCR in Canberra to actively facilitate the safe settlement of the refugees in a third country.
Legal and resettlement enquiries: +61 2 6273 2733 Fax: +61 2 6273 6822
Papua New Guinea Field Office
PO Box 1909, Port Moresby, PNG or email pngpo at unhcr.org
Telephone: +675 321 5973 Fax: +675 321 5977

Yours in Solidarity and hope,

Nick Chesterfield

Free West Papua Campaign Pacifica

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