PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS, PEACE AND DEMOCRACY IN INDONESIA

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TAPOL protests to UK government about rights abuses in Wasior, West Papua

Seeks clarification about British Ambassador's statement

26 June 2001

TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, today wrote to the British Government protesting about the human rights abuses currently underway in Wasior, a subdistrict of the district of Manokwari, West Papua.

The letter drew attention to the extensive sweepings that have been conducted by the security forces, in particular Brimob troops, in retaliation for an attack by an armed group on a logging company in the area on 31 March. The sweepings have led to hundreds of villagers fleeing their villages out of fear of what may happen to them. Brimob troops also opened fire on a group of men on their way home to Nabire, killing six and wounding the others.

TAPOL condemned the fact that a pastoral team set up by church leaders to assess the situation in Wasior was unable to carry out its mission as it was refused entry into the area by the chief of police.

The situation in Wasior worsened significantly after another armed attack on a logging company on 13 June, when five Brimob members were killed. Since then, the sweepings in villages have intensified and yet more people have fled their homes.

The letter also drew attention to the proximity of Wasior to a British investment in Bintuni Bay by BP which will soon start exploiting huge natural gas reserves in the area. The letter stated:

'The 13 June attack occurred on the same day that the British ambassador, Richard Gozney, was on a visit to the BP site in Bintuni Bay which is about 60 miles to the west of Wasior. Shortly thereafter, our attention was drawn to a statement by Mr Gozney expressing support for the military operations, apparently on the grounds that it would ensure protection for the nearby British investment project. Were such a statement to have been made, we would be very concerned indeed. The fact that there is a major British investment in a location near a region where such widespread human rights are currently occurring should be cause for alarm by the British Government and should in our opinion be the subject of strong condemnation by the Government, so as to ensure that the clampdown does not reflect unfavourably on British interests in the region.'

In conclusion, the letter called on the British Government to exert pressure on the Indonesian authorities to halt the military operations and sweepings of villages in Wasior and to withdraw all the additional troops that have been deployed there since the beginning of April.

ENDS

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