10,000 Paratroops Dropped Into Jayapura Over Night

[fPcN_news] 10,000 Paratroops dropped into Jayapura over night

Dear All,

We have received very distressing news that overnight (2nd-3rd Dec) thousands(!) of Indonesian troops have parachuted into Jayapura, the capital of West Papua. We have also had news that more troops have been parachuted into the highlands over the last couple of days. This news, along with other recent events (see below) may well suggest that Indonesia is planning a genocide in West Papua to start in the next few days. The International Community must be on full alert and be prepared to offer humanitarian aid.

Update on the latest situation:
- Thousands of paratroops into Jayapura (3rd Dec)
- Many paratroops into highlands (1st & 2nd Dec)
- 7 people killed in Merauke when police opened fire on crowd (2nd Dec)
- 2 men shot in Fak Fak after riots following demonstration (1st Dec)
- 23 people arrested after flag raising (2nd Dec)
- Report that 14 SATGAS (Papuan security force) members have been arrested and taken away on a boat - they have not been seen since (3rd Dec)
- Leader (Theys Eluay) and 4 members of the Papua Presidium Council being detained without charge (28th Nov)
- Up to 80,000 troops deployed to the province in the lead up to December

As well, an Indonesian Home Affairs Department plan obtained by Reuters on 26th Nov and marked "Top Secret" calls for the raising of village-level militias and tough action against independence leaders in West Papua. Also a former military commander, Major- General Sembiring Meliala, now an MP, told foreign journalists in Jakarta the week before that more troops needed to be sent to the province. "We definitely need more personnel to secure Papua…We will take all the necessary measures to curb any separatist movement anywhere in the country. Repressive measures sometimes cannot be avoided."

The situation is still very tense and may well turn extremely violent at any moment. Please contact your governments and request them to take whatever action they can to stop the potential violence.

Yours, Mike Atkins
01865 439705

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