This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/07/no-threats-west-papuans-consulate
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| No threats made against West Papuans in Australian Bali consulate, Dfat says | No threats made against West Papuans in Australian Bali consulate, Dfat says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) has denied that the Australian consul general in Bali threatened to call in the Indonesian military and police to expel three West Papuan students who occupied his consulate early on Sunday morning. | The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) has denied that the Australian consul general in Bali threatened to call in the Indonesian military and police to expel three West Papuan students who occupied his consulate early on Sunday morning. |
| Markus Jerewon, 29, Yuvensius Goo, 22 and Rofinus Yanggam, 30, scaled the two-metre fence of the Australian compound in Bali’s Renon district at 3.20am local time (6.20am AEST) on Sunday morning. They left the compound three hours later and are now in hiding. | Markus Jerewon, 29, Yuvensius Goo, 22 and Rofinus Yanggam, 30, scaled the two-metre fence of the Australian compound in Bali’s Renon district at 3.20am local time (6.20am AEST) on Sunday morning. They left the compound three hours later and are now in hiding. |
| Two men involved with organising the action told Guardian Australia that the trio of West Papuans left the consulate because they were afraid for their lives after being warned by consulate staff that the police and military would be called in. | Two men involved with organising the action told Guardian Australia that the trio of West Papuans left the consulate because they were afraid for their lives after being warned by consulate staff that the police and military would be called in. |
| But a Dfat spokesperson said: "The consul general did not make threats. He explained to the individuals that they were free to leave voluntarily." | But a Dfat spokesperson said: "The consul general did not make threats. He explained to the individuals that they were free to leave voluntarily." |
| Tony Abbott, when asked about the incident at a press conference in Bali, repeated comments he made in Jakarta recently that Australia "would not give people a platform to grandstand against Indonesia". | |
| The two co-organisers of the protest, who asked to be called John Stefanus and Rafael Willem to protect their real identities, spoke to Guardian Australia on Sunday night. | |
| Stefanus explained that he got a call from one of the trio, Rofinus Yanggam, from inside the consulate early on Sunday morning. “Before 7am I got a phone call from Rofinus. His voice was different from usual. He’s usually confident, this time he was scared,” Stefanus said. | Stefanus explained that he got a call from one of the trio, Rofinus Yanggam, from inside the consulate early on Sunday morning. “Before 7am I got a phone call from Rofinus. His voice was different from usual. He’s usually confident, this time he was scared,” Stefanus said. |
| “Rofinus told me, ‘We are being asked by the consulate to leave the compound this morning. If we don’t, the consulate will call the Indonesian police and military to kick us out.’ There was an element of violence in the language, and there was a sense that there was going to be force used against them,” he said. | “Rofinus told me, ‘We are being asked by the consulate to leave the compound this morning. If we don’t, the consulate will call the Indonesian police and military to kick us out.’ There was an element of violence in the language, and there was a sense that there was going to be force used against them,” he said. |
| Stefanus said he told Yanggam that the consulate staff member was probably bluffing and that they should stand their ground and wait for an order from Canberra. But soon after this phone call, the three protesters fled. | Stefanus said he told Yanggam that the consulate staff member was probably bluffing and that they should stand their ground and wait for an order from Canberra. But soon after this phone call, the three protesters fled. |
| Stefanus believes that it was specifically the mention of the Indonesian military that made the trio abandon their action and go into hiding. | Stefanus believes that it was specifically the mention of the Indonesian military that made the trio abandon their action and go into hiding. |
| “If you mention the words ‘Indonesian military’ in Papua, the two words are traumatising for us Papuans. We have long learned what those two words mean. They were under pressure, they were traumatised,” he said. | “If you mention the words ‘Indonesian military’ in Papua, the two words are traumatising for us Papuans. We have long learned what those two words mean. They were under pressure, they were traumatised,” he said. |
| “They decided to leave without showing any resistance because the consulate was saying they would ask the Indonesian police and military to take them out.” | “They decided to leave without showing any resistance because the consulate was saying they would ask the Indonesian police and military to take them out.” |
| Stefanus said the group had planned to stage a sit-in if consulate security attempted to force them out, but they were not expecting the Australians to call in Indonesian security forces, the very forces they were seeking safety from. | Stefanus said the group had planned to stage a sit-in if consulate security attempted to force them out, but they were not expecting the Australians to call in Indonesian security forces, the very forces they were seeking safety from. |
| According to Andreas Harsono, Indonesia researcher for Human Rights Watch, Indonesian authorities cannot enter embassy and consulate grounds without Australian permission. “The Australians could invite Indonesian police to enter and to expel the Papuan protesters, but the Indonesian police cannot enter without an invitation,” he said. | According to Andreas Harsono, Indonesia researcher for Human Rights Watch, Indonesian authorities cannot enter embassy and consulate grounds without Australian permission. “The Australians could invite Indonesian police to enter and to expel the Papuan protesters, but the Indonesian police cannot enter without an invitation,” he said. |
| Greens senator Richard Di Natale accused the consulate of effectively putting a gun to the protesters’ heads. He said: "After hearing directly from the West Papuans involved, we now know the truth is that they only [left] after being threatened with being handed over to the Indonesian police. | Greens senator Richard Di Natale accused the consulate of effectively putting a gun to the protesters’ heads. He said: "After hearing directly from the West Papuans involved, we now know the truth is that they only [left] after being threatened with being handed over to the Indonesian police. |
| "They effectively had a gun to their head." | "They effectively had a gun to their head." |
| The trio and their spokesman, Rinto Kogoya, from the Alliance of Papuan Students, have now gone into hiding. | The trio and their spokesman, Rinto Kogoya, from the Alliance of Papuan Students, have now gone into hiding. |
| Neither Stefanus nor Willem has heard from them since Sunday, and remain deeply concerned for their safety. | Neither Stefanus nor Willem has heard from them since Sunday, and remain deeply concerned for their safety. |
| Willem told Guardian Australia: “Yesterday when I went to the dorm [where the trio was supposed to be staying], as I was leaving in a taxi, I saw a soldier standing outside. He was looking into the dorm, staring in. I was thinking maybe he lived there, but when I made a U-turn, he was gone. I’m afraid he was a military intelligence officer.” | Willem told Guardian Australia: “Yesterday when I went to the dorm [where the trio was supposed to be staying], as I was leaving in a taxi, I saw a soldier standing outside. He was looking into the dorm, staring in. I was thinking maybe he lived there, but when I made a U-turn, he was gone. I’m afraid he was a military intelligence officer.” |
| Stefanus believes the group is trying to organise to leave Bali. “I don’t think they have been arrested but I think they are under a lot of pressure,” he said. | Stefanus believes the group is trying to organise to leave Bali. “I don’t think they have been arrested but I think they are under a lot of pressure,” he said. |
| “I’m waiting to be able to communicate with them. I’m worried because without knowing where they are and what they are doing, I can’t be certain what happened to them.” | “I’m waiting to be able to communicate with them. I’m worried because without knowing where they are and what they are doing, I can’t be certain what happened to them.” |
| Willem said he wished the group had never left the Australian consulate. “The safest place for them to be would be inside the consulate now. I really do hope that the four of them are safe. I hope that they are in a safe place. | Willem said he wished the group had never left the Australian consulate. “The safest place for them to be would be inside the consulate now. I really do hope that the four of them are safe. I hope that they are in a safe place. |
| “My concern is with other Papuan students in Bali. I think the movement of Papuan students in Bali will now be closely monitored by the military intelligence and the police,” he said. | “My concern is with other Papuan students in Bali. I think the movement of Papuan students in Bali will now be closely monitored by the military intelligence and the police,” he said. |
| “We also think the trio’s demands are important, and that the media should put more attention on what they are demanding.” | “We also think the trio’s demands are important, and that the media should put more attention on what they are demanding.” |
| The group called on the Australian government to request that Indonesia release at least 55 political prisoners from Indonesian jails, including Filep Karma, who has been jailed for 15 years in Abepura prison, and open the province to foreign journalists. | The group called on the Australian government to request that Indonesia release at least 55 political prisoners from Indonesian jails, including Filep Karma, who has been jailed for 15 years in Abepura prison, and open the province to foreign journalists. |
| They told Guardian Australia in an exclusive interview on Saturday that they just wanted a chance to lead a normal life, free from fear and intimidation by the Indonesian security forces. | They told Guardian Australia in an exclusive interview on Saturday that they just wanted a chance to lead a normal life, free from fear and intimidation by the Indonesian security forces. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |