Jayapura, Jubi – Dozens of civil society organisations comprising elements of the labour, student, women's, urban poor and other social movements support the Papuan people's right to freedom of expression.
"Many people have been arrested in Papua since 2013. According to International Coalition for Papua data, 653 people were arrested between April 2013 and December 2014 (ICP 2015). The KNPB has calculated that 479 people were arrested between the 30th April and 1st June 2015 alone," Alghiffari Aqsa, the Director of Jakarta Legal Aid told reporter in Jakarta, Tuesday (12/4/2016).
He added in the 18 months which Jokowi and Jusuf Kalla have been in power, more than 1000 arrests have taken place, especially targeting pro-independence activists, indigenous people fighting to keep their customary lands and ordinary people who have become the object of state repression for no clear reason.
"Bearing in mind the patterns of repression and police/military impunity that keep on repeating themselves in Papua, as demonstrated once more last April 5th, it is reasonable to believe that the Papuan people will face more repression," he said.
For this reason, he state that Jakarta Legal Aid and dozens of Civil Society Organization fully support the Papuan people's constitutional rights to freedom of expression.
"We also urge the joint police and military forces not to take repressive action against the Papuan people, and in particular against the further actions," he added. (Victor Mambor)