KNPB: 'Being arrested in nothing unusual - it strengthens our struggle'

Jayapura:  Even though the KNPB demonstration on Monday was forcibly dispersed by the security forces on 16 September, the organisation has every intention of holding another peaceful demonstration.

The spokesman of the organisation, Wim Rocky Medlama, said: 'Actually, we were planning to organise another demonstration on 18 September but we decided not to go ahead for certain reasons. But be assured that we will organise another demonstration very soon, possibly in the coming week.'


He said that this statement should be taken as  notification to the police of their intention to hold another demonstration.

'We have no idea whether we will get permission to demonstrate but the aspirations of the West Papuan people will be expressed by the KNPB, come what may. We will demonstrate to express the demand of the Papuan people for the right to an act of self-determination.' And this will also be the occasion for us to  raise the issue of the force that was used by the police when we demonstrated to mark the International Day of Democracy.'

'We have discussed the possibility of being arrested, being tortured or being sent to prison, but all this is nothing unusual for us, even if they start shooting us. We are quite used to all this and incidents like this only re-enforce our determination to continue the struggle for self-determination.'

He went on to say that they would go ahead even though it was possible that the police would block their way or use force to disperse them.

The general secretary of the KNPB, Ones Pahaboi said that the presence of the chief of police Drs M Tito Karnavian in West Papua is illegal, as a representative the NKRI  [Unitary State of the  Republic of Indonesia].

'We will continue with our acts of resistance  for as long as it takes. All the brutality that he uses against us is simply the consequence of our struggle. The presence of the chief of police and of NKRI here in the land of Papua is illegal.'