West Papua Bloodshed Must Be Avoided

[Oquist, Ben (Sen B. Brown)]

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Friday, December 01, 2000

West Papua Bloodshed Must Be Avoided

Senate urges increased diplomatic pressure from Australia

Greens Senator Bob Brown today called on the Alexander Downer to urgently
heed the call of the Senate and immediately put diplomatic pressure on
Jakarta to discourage violence in West Papua.

Today, December 1, is West Papua's 'independence day'.  West Papuan leaders
have declared today a milestone in their struggle for independence.  Over
the last weeks Jakarta has been orchestrating a massive military build up.

"Alex Downer should get on the phone and put pressure on Jakarta to rein in
the Indonesian  military operating in West Papua.

The Senate has passed the following Greens motion

(a)	expresses concern about the humanitarian consequences of conflicts
within Indonesia including the generation of one million internally
displaced persons;

(b)	calls on the Australian Government to increase diplomatic efforts to
discourage violence and encourage peaceful dialogue in Aceh, West
Papua/Irian Jaya and the Maluku Islands;  

(c)	welcomes the Indonesian Government's declared intention of holding
further talks with the Free Aceh Movement;  

(d)	urges all parties to refrain from violence in West Papua/Irian Jaya
on Friday, 1 December; and  

(e)	calls on the Australian Government to give positive consideration to
providing further aid to help the Indonesian authorities and non-government
organisations deal with the humanitarian consequences of regional conflicts.

"Writing in today's UK Guardian newspaper, George Monbiot put it best when
he said 'Having seen what happened in East Timor 
and having failed to do anything to prevent its repetition, the blood 
this time will be on our hands. We helped to start all this. Now we must 
stop it'," Senator Brown said.

Further information: Ben Oquist 02 62773170 or 0419704095


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Ben Oquist
Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown
Parliament House, Canberra 2600
Australia
+61 2 62773170 ph
+61 2 62773185 fx
0419704095 mobile
http://www.greens.org.au/bobbrown
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