Cenderawasih University Declaration

Cenderawasih University Declaration

Today, Thursday 12 March 2009, at this State University of Cenderawasih in Abepura, Jayapura in the Land of Papua, we West Papuans celebrate the International Day of Free Speech. Free Speech is guaranteed in Article 28 of the Constitution of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (10 December 1948); the International Convenant of Civil and Political Rights (1966) which Indonesia ratified in 2005; and The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People (September 2006) which Indonesia ratified in October 2007.

Today we remember all West Papua political prisoners who have led peace rallies, including Philip Karma, Yusak Pakage, Buchtar Tabuni, Saby Sablum and others in Abepura jail. And Jack Wainggai and his ten colleagues in Kampong Ambong, Manokwari Jail, Simon Teturup and others in Fak-fak prison.

Because of the right of free speech, I say that on 19 December 1961, the Indonesian government supported by Russia and America annexed West Papua. The Indonesians claimed their annexation was part of a noble plan to support the dignity and equality of indigenous Melanesians. That noble plan, from Special Autonomy Regulation No:12/1969, to No:8/1972; ti No:5/1974 and to No:21/2001, has totally failed. Everyone around the world knows the Indonesian Republic has failed West Papuans. Even Indonesians know their republic has failed in West Papua.

I am calling on the Indonesian government to release all West Papuan political prisoners from incarceration centres in West Papua and Jakarta Indonesia. They are indigenous Papuans who were seeking to uphold their political rights by peaceful means and to open a peaceful environment for the Indonesian government to indigenous Papuans under the auspices of a third party from the international community.

Today as Executive President of the West Papua National Authority, the provisional government in West Papua, I declare that we indigenous Melanesian West Papuans are developing and organizing our own furture without the government of Indonesia.

ENDS

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