Papuan accuses Indons of genocide

The West Australian © Activist: Benny Wenda. Picture: Supplied He escaped from prison while on murder and arson charges, spent two years on an international wanted list after Indonesian authorities alleged he was a terrorist and tomorrow he will arrive in Perth. But West Papua independence movement leader Benny Wenda says Indonesian authorities - his accusers - are the ones guilty of terrible crimes. He says they are the aggressors...

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Benny Wenda’s Freedom Tour a great success

by Catherine Delahunty This week Benny Wenda from “Free West Papua’ and Jennifer Robinson of International lawyers for West Papua brought the “Freedom Tour” to Auckland and Wellington. The Auckland day was hosted by the hard working “Indonesian Human Rights Committee.” Wellington also went very well despite the lack of co-operation from the new Speaker David Carter and the predictable refusal to meet Benny Wenda from the Minister of Foreign...

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Asian Human Rights Commission to call on UN over alleged torture in West Papua

Papuan freedom activist The Asian Human Rights Commission says it is writing to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture about the arbitrary arrest and torture of seven West Papuans. The arrests took place near Jayapura, the capital of Indonesia’s Papua province late last week. The group of seven were stopped in traffic by police looking for two pro-independence activists. The Commission says the Papuans were brought to the police station...

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Leaks reveal it's past time to speak for West Papua

Jennifer Robinson Lawyer Wikileaks and West Papua Having been unjustifiably targeted on the ''WikiLeaks Threat'' list in secret US documents leaked in February, I was somewhat surprised to be left off the Indonesian intelligence watch list leaked last month about West Papua. I mean, every man and Naomi Robson was on it. And I've been acting as lawyer to exiled Papuan independence leader Benny Wenda far longer than I've acted for Julian Assange.Robson's...

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Lawyer Jennifer Robinson blasts govt for refusing to let activist speak

Lawyer Jennifer Robinson A leading human rights lawyer yesterday hit out at a decision banning a West Papua independence activist from speaking at Parliament. Jennifer Robinson, a member of Julian Assange's defence team, is in New Zealand briefly with Benny Wenda, a leader of the self-determination campaign for West Papua, which is under Indonesian control. Several MPs wanted Mr Wenda, who lives in exile in London, to speak at...

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Papua's "cry for freedom" unheard for 50 years - Wenda

Mr. Benny Wenda is an activist for the independence of West Papua from Indonesia. He currently lives in Britain after being granted political aslyum in 2003 but has been unable the country because of an Interpol ' Red Notice' or arrest warrant sought by the Indonesian government. That threat has now been lifted and Mr Wenda is on an international tour, talking to politicians and policy makers in the USA, New Zealand, Australia and Melanesia.  Here Orginal News: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacific/news Presenter:Geraldine...

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NZ opposition MPs criticise speaker’s move to ban West Papuan from parliament

Benny Wenda The decision by New Zealand’s parliamentary speaker to bar a visiting West Papuan activist from speaking at parliament this week has met with criticism from opposition MPs. The UK-based Benny Wenda is due in Wellington tomorrow to talk about the plight of the indigenous people of Indonesia’s troubled Papua region. Speaker David Carter’s refusal stems from advice he says he received from government officials deeming the...

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West Papuan campaigner tells of life of struggle against Indonesian rule

Pacific Scoop News: Report – By the PMC news desk West Papuan independence campaigner Benny Wenda spoke of his people’s harrowing five decades of struggle against Indonesian rule at a public meeting in Auckland last night. Dressed in a ceremonial Papuan headdress, he was also joined by human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, a spokesperson for International Lawyers for West Papua, who spoke about Indonesian legal violations. Members...

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