HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN WEST PAPUA (IRIAN JAYA)

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN WEST PAPUA (IRIAN JAYA)

Jakarta, Indonesia
August 7, 1998

Message
from
Komite Solidaritas Rakyat Irian Kosorairi
to
The Secretary General of the United Nations
Dr. Kofi Annan
New York

FOURTH APPEAL

This is the fourth appeal to you regarding the human rights violations now taking place in West Papua (Irian Jaya, Indonesia).

The peaceful demonstration of the Papuan people in Biak during July 1 to 6 was suppressed by the Indonesian army which caused bloodshed. The total cost of human lives which had occurred on July 6th were hundreds of people.

This was denied by the Indonesian government and claimed that only one died and the family was granted a sum of Rp 10 million as a token condolence. Eyewitnesses said, however, that on July 6, 139 people were loaded on two frigates and headed in two directions to the east and to the west and these people were dropped into the sea.

The following records of reports from the Christian Evangelical Church (GKI) in Biak showed the following evidence:

1. July 11 it was reported that 23 bodies were found in the nets of the fishing boat offshore. The bodies were handed to the navy hospital in Biak and there were no reports about what had happened with the bodies afterwards.
2. Again on July 13 it was reported that 21 bodies mostly males were found in the fishing nets of the same boat offshore, and the nets were confiscated by the police.
3. On July 16 the bodies of two young women were found naked on the shore in Bosnik, a village east of Biak.
4. On July 25 the villagers in Opiaref found on the shore six bodies; three women, one boy, and one child. The body of the child was still embraced by the mother.
5. On July 26 in the village Wari, north of Biak, one male body was found on the shore, four bodies were found on the shore in Barari, east of Biak. (Two lost their heads and the others their hands.)
6. On the same date July 26, one female body was found onshore in Yobdi, north of Biak.
7. On July 31, 12 bodies were found onshore; 10 males and 2 females. So the bodies recovered as evidence of this massacre was a total of 70.
8. It was also reported in Sorong, Irian Jaya, that women had been thrown into the back of a truck and stripped naked and jumped upon by the soldiers, and one died due to internal bleeding because she was pregnant.

Since July 3 we have sent you a facsimile letter to draw your attention that these human tragedies might happen if the United Nations did not intervene. Despite all these human tragedies which have been reported to you regularly from our side and from other sources as well, there has been no response at all from your side.

And this time again we strongly demand the attention of the United Nations and appeal to your personal human understanding and feeling to respond to this type of barbaric action against our people of West Papua who had undergone these relentless human rights violations for 35 years under the Indonesian regime.

It is our hope that you will realize that to prolong the situation and to leave the Papuan people under the regime of the Indonesian Government in West Papua (Irian Jaya) will automatically grant the Indonesian Government the free hand to continue the oppression and violations of all basic human rights.

You might understand as well that in desperation people will strike back and again this will accelerate further killings by the Indonesian Military leading toward genocide to the people of West Papua and possibly a total annihilation.

It is therefore understood that the United Nations as a world Body could prevent this bloodshed. We hope and believe in the good intentions of the United Nations to take the necessary actions to intervene, and demand the Indonesian Government to stop the killings and military operations in West Papua and grant the people of West Papua the freedom to vote for their own future.

We highly appreciate your kind understanding and attention and will continue to look forward to your soonest response. God bless you!

KOMITE SOLIDARITAS RAKYAT IRIAN (KOSORAIR)