Papuan People Call For Referendum

Jerry Omona/ Angga Haksoro - translated by Rosmi Julitasari

Massa mimbar bebas pro referendum Papua

VHRmedia, Jayapura –Thousands of Papuan people staged a rally in front of the cemetery of Free Papua Movement leading figure Theys Heu Eluay. Demonstrators urged the United Nations to review the 1969 Pepera (Act of Free Choice) poll.

 

Chief of Papuan Traditional Council Forkorus Yoboisembut and some activists of West Papua National Committee (KNPB) gave their speech in the rally.

 

“We will talk about the signing of Pepera as our protest to the government,” Vanny Kogoya, an activist, said in the opening speech of the rally on Monday (8/2).

 

Forkorus Yoboisembut said that the Papuan people will give back the Pepera and urge a referendum.

 

“We want Pepera to be reviewed by the United Nations because it was not legal. We want pure sovereignty,” Yoboisembut said.

 

Hundreds people came from all parts of Papua to attend the rally. They danced and yelled “Free Papua”.

 

Hundreds of police and Free National Soldier of the Free Papua Movement escorted the rally. Demonstrators did not allow journalists to come into the cemetery, which is located by Sentani Airport in Jayapura, Papua.

 

Pepera was staged in 1969 to determine the owner of western part of Papua Island: Netherland or Indonesia. Pepera was resulted by the New York Agreement in 1962.

 

The Indonesian government then formed special team, chaired by Sudjarwo Tjondronegoro to compile opinion from leading figures in Indonesia about Pepera. (E1)

Photo: VHRmedia/ Jerry Omona