Friday, March 16, 2018

1) PM must address human rights crimes - West Papua Action Auckland


2) Maritime security discussed at ASEAN-Australia Summit

3) Asia Pacific Human Rights – Will PM Turnbull and Julie Bishop raise the human rights situation

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1) PM must address human rights crimes - West Papua Action Auckland 

West Papua Action Auckland has urged the Prime Minister to raise human rights and the suffering of the people of Indonesian ruled West Papua when she meets with President Widodo on Monday. Our Melanesian neighbours in West Papua are suffering grievously and must not be overlooked for the sake of ‘good relations’ or markets for our goods.
For 55 years West Papuan people have been seeking freedom from repressive military rule, imposed on them in a scandalously unfair process. The loss of life is estimated to be at least 100,000. Even though the struggle is now mainly about peaceful protest, petitions and diplomacy - there is no let up in security force crack-downs.. In the last three years the police have adopted a strategy of arresting demonstrators en masse, and thanks to Police Chief edict organisations deemed ‘separatist’ are denied the opportunity to hold any kind of gathering. This is a blatant breach of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Indonesia is a signatory.
Yanto Awerkion, a young activist who was promoting an petition calling for the UN decolonisation committee to become involved, has now spent over 9 months in jail on a treason charge. He will be released shortly - thanks to international pressure.
Last year the International Coalition for Papua documented ten cases of extrajudicial killings, when the victims were either shot dead during security force operations or tortured to death in custody. West Papuans say that they are experiencing ‘slow genocide’ and this refers to the impact on their lives of marginalisation and environmental exploitation as well as to shockingly low standards of health and education. In the remote Asmat area in the last few months there has been a devastating outbreak of measles which, coupled with malnutrition, took the lives of dozens of children.
There are a growing number of Pacific nations who are taking a stand in support for West Papuan self-determination. So far New Zealand has not supported their initiatives in regional forums and at the United Nations. So this meeting with the President will be a timely opportunity for Prime Minister Ardern and her Ministers to demonstrate that New Zealand does support fundamental rights and freedoms, and that principle and compassion have not been forgotten.



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https://en.antaranews.com/news/115000/maritime-security-discussed-at-asean-australia-summit

2) Maritime security discussed at ASEAN-Australia Summit

Reporter: 19 minutes ago

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu and his Australian counterpart Marise Payne discussed maritime security issues during the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit 2018 in Sydney, Australia, on Friday.

"Maritime security for Indonesia is an implementation of the agenda set by President Joko Widodo, to build Indonesia as the world`s maritime axis," Ryamizard said in a statement on Friday.

As part of reaching the goal, he said the Indonesian Navy should be strengthened to protect trade routes that boosted the national economy. It includes routes within as well as outside the country`s jurisdiction, affecting national interest.

"Maritime security in Asia Pacific is crucial, as the world`s economy currently depends on maritime route for trade as well as communication lines," Ryamizard added.

Maritime security development has been closely linked to the existence of radical groups affiliated with ISIS, leading Indonesia to consider cooperating with Malaysia and the Philippines to deal with the terrorist groups along with piracy and crime at sea.

In addition to maritime security issues, the meeting included discussions on Indo-Pacific ties, counter-terrorism, cyber security, and human trafficking.

Reported by Agita Tarigan
(S022/INE)
(T.SYS/A/KR-BSR/A014) 
3) Asia Pacific Human Rights – Will PM Turnbull and Julie Bishop raise the human rights situation in West Papua with Jokowi at ASEAN Summit?
Source: Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)
The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit is taking place in Sydney on the 17-18 March. 
According to reports Australia will press its Southeast Asian neighbours about serious human rights concerns at the summit.  
Julie Bishop said on ABC radio earlier this week “I would certainly be encouraging Aung San Suu Kyi to attend the summit so that we can raise directly with her the concerns that we have.” 
Will she raise the human rights situation in West Papua with Jokiwi?
Joe Collins of AWPA said “its unfortunate but West Papua will probably be the elephant in the room yet again and the issues discussed at the summit will be the usual talkfest of trade, defence, security and terrorism.”
Prime Minister Turnbull and Julie Bishop should support the leaders of the other regional organisation, the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in pressing Jokiwi to allow a fact finding mission to West Papua as was requested by the PIF leaders at the PIF Summit in Port Moresby in 2015.
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