As the rest of the world fixated on the news that Osama bin Laden had been killed in a covert US operation, thousands of West Papuans took to the streets of Jayapura on Monday to demand a referendum on self-determination.
Protestors weaved their way through the capital’s suburbs, playing music and carrying placards which read "Papua yes, Indonesia no" and "Papua Merdeka". Along the way, speeches highlighted the plight of political prisoners such as Filep Karma, who is serving a 15-year jail sentence for raising the West Papuan flag, and Buchtar Tabuni.
The crowd, which included university students and schoolchildren, attracted the close attention of security forces, including five or six detachments of police and three units of mobile police, according to organisers. But the day-long demonstration — including a sit-in that disrupted traffic in the suburb of Abepura — went off peacefully.
The Indonesian Government restricts foreign media from reporting from West Papua. These photos were provided by local stringers for the web-based organisation, West Papua Media.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Like this article? Register as a New Matilda user here. It’s free! We’ll send you a bi-weekly email keeping you up to date with new stories on the site.
Want more independent media? New Matilda stays online thanks to reader donations. To become a financial supporter, click here.
Donate To New Matilda
New Matilda is a small, independent media outlet. We survive through reader contributions, and never losing a lawsuit. If you got something from this article, giving something back helps us to continue speaking truth to power. Every little bit counts.