News
- UPCOMING EVENTS – ARCHIVES -
Dynamics of Civil Engagement Conference at Southern Cross University on 27 February, 2012
“Dynamics of Civil Engagement Conference: Southern Cross University” Southern Cross Univeristy: 27 February, 2012
Pulling together: Solidarity Work and western aid to the Indonesian police and military.
Not long ago video of a talk given by American investigative journalist, Alan Nairn had me transfixed in front of my computer screen. Alan was one of the journalists who was present at the time of the Santa Cruz massacre in Dili, East Timor in 1991. The Indonesian military beat Alan severely on that day, which seems to have left him with an undying commitment to expose the crimes of the Indonesian Special Services (Kopassus) and to ferret out crucial information about American support for the Indonesian military.
I think it is worthwhile to summarise some of Alan’s analysis about East Timor’s liberation, the fall of Suharto and the power of the United States in world affairs. He sees the Santa Cruz events as pivotal. First to remind you of what was happening in East Timor just over 20 years ago: the Timorese resistance was trying to come to terms with a bitter let-down –they had been anticipating a parliamentary delegation from Portugal, and were gearing up to use this chance to tell their story and ask for international support. But the delegation was cancelled. Then on 28 October a young student Sebastiao Gomes was killed by armed militia after he sought shelter in the Motael Church.
Read the full paper here
West Papua Morning Star flag raised at Aotea Square
Indonesia Human Rights Committee led the flag raising of the Morning Star at Aotea Square in commemoration of West Papua’s “independence day”. It’s the 50th anniversary of their struggle against the Indonesian colonisers.
West Papua's Morning Star proudly flying
Tangata Whenua lowering the Morning Star after the celebration
Raising the Morning Star
Lush shines a light on the Free West Papua campaign
Lush shines a light on the Free West Papua campaign at the Regent St. shop on the launch day of International Lawyers for West Papua which is seeking to free political prisoners in West Papua and bring about a free and fair referendum on self determination for the people of West Papua
Strange Birds In Paradise Screening
Submission to Ministerial Inquiry into use and operation of Foreign Charter Vessels
Indonesia Human Rights Committee,
Box 68-419,
Auckland.
22 September, 2011
Jenny Wood
MAF
PO Box 1020
Wellington 6140
Submission to Ministerial Inquiry into use and operation of Foreign Charter Vessels
Introduction
The Indonesia Human Rights Committee (IHRC) has been deeply concerned about the parlous situation of many Indonesian fishermen who are contracted to serve on foreign Charter boats in New Zealand waters.
There is no need to itemise the kinds of abuse suffered by these men as they have been well documented in the excellent research report: ‘Not in New Zealand’s waters, surely? Labour and human rights abuses aboard foreign fishing vessels’ by Christina Stringer, Glenn Simmons and Daren Coulston, recently published by the University of Auckland in the News Zealand Asia Institute working paper series
However, from our perspective as an NGO working closely with human rights groups in Indonesia, it was a shock to find this level of abuse taking place under New Zealand’s jurisdiction.
In our work we are attempting to highlight the human rights violations experienced by vulnerable groups in Indonesia, especially in areas such as West Papua where the military maintains tight control over any expression of dissent. We did not expect to find similar kinds of abuse, including beatings and food deprivation amounting to a form of torture, to be happening in our waters at the hands of brutal fishing vessel operators.
To read the full article, click here: Submission to Ministerial Inquiry into use and operation of Foreign Charter Vessels
West Papua and Pacific Islands Forum
17 June 2011
Dear Prime Minister,
The Indonesia Human Rights Committee draws to your attention the ongoing
human rights abuses suffered by the indigenous Melanesian people of West
Papua.
You will be aware that West Papua has now been controlled by Indonesia for
48 years since Indonesia took control from the United Nations Temporary
Executive Authority (UNTEA) in 1963. Since that time tens of thousands of
lives have been lost in the ensuing conflict.
Currently West Papuan leaders are committed to non-violent means to achieve
their aspirations and to resolve problems and grievances. There have been
repeated calls to the Government in Jakarta for a process of peaceful
dialogue.
In recent weeks, perhaps inspired by the democracy uprisings in the Middle
East, there have been thousands-strong peaceful demonstrations in West
Papua when the people have rallied to call for a new self-determination
referendum and also to a call for the release of all political prisoners.
Click here for the full article: Letter to NZ Prime Minister from the IHRC
Free West Papua Prisoners Now
www.freewestpapuanprisonersnow.blogspot.com
To download these as PDF’s, click below:
Rusdi Marpaung’s visit to Aotearoa
10-14 December 2010
Impunity is like a ‘virus’
IHRC was very pleased to welcome Rusdi Marpaung as our guest at a seminar following our AGM on 11 December, 2010. Rusdi also addressed a public meeting in Whangarei, met with Auckland MPs and attended the Amnesty Aotearoa’s Human Rights Defender Award ceremony.
Rusdi is a Senior researcher with Imparsial—a prominent Indonesian human rights NGO focusing on monitoring state policies from human rights perspectives. Coming from a legal and media background, Rusdi was one of the 17 high profile human rights activists who came together to form Imparsial in 2002.
He has been actively campaigning for human rights and democracy since the Suharto years and was a close colleague and friend of the late Munir Said Thalib, tragically murdered in 2004. Rusdi has just completed his Masters degree in International Human Right Law and Policy at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.
Rusdi emphasised that the problem of legal impunity is like a virus in Indonesia which continues to spread and to influence the violent mentality of the security forces. The following is a summary of some of the key points from Rusdi’s presentations and discussions.
Click her for the full article: Rusdi Marpaung in Aotearoa
Message from Filep Karma, jailed in Indonesia
“Don’t Buy Kwila” demo in front of Country Road
18 December 2010
