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 Parliament but the new Speaker, David Carter, refused the request.

He reconfirmed his decision yesterday despite a plea from Labour MP Maryan Street, who claimed the decision was made by the Government after advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Speaker's office said the request was declined because the function did not meet guidelines to using parliamentary facilities and hosting guests.

Mr Wenda was expected to speak about alleged human rights abuses in West Papua, and highlight NZ's military relationships with Indonesia.

Here Source News: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/

Miss Robinson said: "It raises very serious questions about the influence Indonesia has on the New Zealand Parliament and the New Zealand Government. To prevent somebody coming to speak - merely to speak and exercise their freedom of expression - in the New Zealand Parliament building of all places ought to be of grave concern to New Zealanders about the influence the Indonesians have in their domestic and foreign policy."

Miss Robinson did not know for certain whether Jakarta would have meddled in the decision, but it made New Zealand seem very reactive to Indonesia's position on hosting a West Papuan refugee. Mr Wenda will now speak today at a seminar at Victoria University on the independence struggle in West Papua.

An Australian, Miss Robinson is based in London and works for several human rights groups. She took part in Mr Wenda's 2002 trial for masterminding a fatal attack on a police station. During the case, Mr Wenda escaped from custody and eventually reached Britain, where he was granted political asylum. He is now a British citizen.

Since 2010, Miss Robinson has been part of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's legal team.

Yesterday she defended Assange's decision to remain holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, saying he faced a real risk of ending up in an American military prison if he left the diplomatic enclave.

There was no guarantee Sweden would not deliver him to the United States, where he could face the death penalty. Once in the US, there was every chance he could end up like alleged WikiLeaks whistle-blower and soldier Bradley Manning, who supporters claim has been subjected to degrading treatment in prison.

Miss Robinson also said she had no intention of abandoning Mr Assange, who has seen several high-profile supporters desert his cause.

The latest was the heiress and magazine editor Jemima Khan, who last Friday washed her hands of Mr Assange, comparing him to an "Australian L. Ron Hubbard" after the Scientology founder.

"We have grave concerns should he ever be returned," Miss Robinson said. Asked if she was hanging in with Mr Assange, she said: "Absolutely."

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Solidarity with West Papua, Wellington, 29 Nov

Solidaritas Asing (photo Ilustr)

West Papua has been occupied by the Indonesian military since it was handed over, against the will of the indigenous population, to Indonesia in 1963. 

For the past forty-nine years, the people of West Papua have been subjected to gross human rights violations including rape, torture, cultural genocide, murder and massacre - more than 100,000 West Papuans have been killed. Many live in exile because it is not safe for them to go home.

Multi-national corporations in cahoots with the Indonesian authorities have exploited West Papua's natural resources to an extraordinary degree. This has caused massive social dislocation, devastation of rain forests, pollution of streams and rivers on which the local people depend for their survival, and serious human rights violations in areas where multinationals operate.

1 December is West Papua Independence Day, the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence from Dutch colonial rule. In Papua, people mark Independence Day in a variety of ways, including raising the Morning Star (the West Papuan flag) - despite the threat of arrest and murder.

This year we are marking West Papua Independence Day in Wellington on 29 November, which is the closest sitting day of parliament to 1 December. 

During the solidarity gathering there will be an opportunity to write a personal message in support of justice, peace and self-determination for West Papua.

 Source: http://nz.news.yahoo.com/

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