BREAKING: Police Shoot Cyclone Pam-Hit Vanuatu Fundraisers, One Dead

Police shot four people at a peaceful fundraiser that church groups were holding for Cyclone Pam-hit Vanuatu this week, killing one, according to an opposition leader in a written statement Saturday. Police used force to end the fundraier earlier in the week because the group had no permit, officers said, also claiming one event  attendant stole an officer’s gun.

“Yesterday morning, the Indonesian police opened fire on a peaceful gathering of Papuans who were fundraising money for humanitarian aid after Cyclone Pam struck Vanuatu and many other nations in the Pacific,” stated the United Liberation Movement for West Papua spokesperson Benny Wenda. “This fundraising was coordinated across West Papua by church groups in West Papua and the umbrella organisation, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua.”

According to Wenda, armed Indonesian police forcibly dispersed the entire gathering. Police are seen in te above photo opening fire upon the people.

“It brings me much sadness and grief to report that 2 days ago on the 19th of March; 4 more of my people were shot by the Indonesian police,” he said, adding the police brutality against the four was “simply for attending a peaceful fundraiser in Yahukimo, West Papua.”

Police said a pro-independence West Papua National Committee (KNPB) member attacked 2nd. Insp. Budi Santoso while police were trying to disperse a fundraising event in Yahukimo district on Thursday.

Police alledge gun stolen Thursday at Cyclone Pam fundraising event in the separatist eastern province of Papua, Indonesia, police told the Jakarta Globe.

“Police believe the KNPB is affiliated to the armed Free Papua Movement (OPM) separatist organisation, which continues to stage a low-level armed insurgency against Jakarta’s rule over Papua,” reported Indonessian Newstand.

“When the police were trying to dismiss the KNPB fundraising event, one of the officers was attacked and his revolver was snatched,” Papua police spokesman, Patrige Renwarin, told the Jakarta Globe.

Patrige said police decided to disperse the fundraising event because the KNPB had no permit to hold a fundraiser. The KNPB responded angrily to the police intervention and tensions quickly escalated  between the crowd and officers at the scene. Patrige said the situation in Yahukimo remained tense on Thursday afternoon.

Gunned down mercilessly

“My people were just mourning and trying to raise funds for their brothers and sisters in the Pacific but were gunned down mercilessly,” Wenda says about what happened Friday. “What threat are we posing by holding a peaceful gathering to raise funds for humanitarian aid?

“We want the world to see that we West Papuans are suffering under such a brutal system that it kills us just for raising funds for aid after natural disasters.

We are always so grateful for all the incredible support for our freedom shown to us by our brothers and sisters in Vanuatu and the rest of the Pacific and we want to show that we give them our full support too during their suffering from Cyclone Pam.

Just for offering sympathy and what little funds we can raise for relief to our Pacific brothers and sisters, we continue to be shot like animals by the Indonesian state.

Earlier this month, suspected members of the Indonesian Special Forces tortured and murdered  17 year old West Papuan activist Deni Bahabol in the same region of Yahukimo.

No matter how brutal the Indonesian response, we West Papuans will continue to mourn and raise funds and support for our people in Vanuatu and other Cyclone affected areas. No-one can stop us struggling for freedom and no-one can stop us from supporting our Pacific brothers and sisters.

“My message to the people of Vanuatu and the Pacific remains that we will always continue to stand with you, no matter how many of us are locked up and no matter how many bullets the Indonesian police shoot at us. We will always stand up for our suffering brothers and sisters.

I hope that people all around the world will continue to show support for the people of Vanuatu and everyone who was affected by Cyclone Pam and I would like to thank everyone who has donated to my Pacific Disaster Appeal, helping to raise funds internationally for providing aid directly to those affected by Cyclone Pam.

I am sure that one day West Papua will be free and we will be able to gather and show support for all our brothers and sisters across the Pacific in peace and freedom.

Last year, Australia sent 50 officers to back up Papua New Guinea police force. The final contingent of Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers arrived in Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Dec 21 to work alongside their counterparts in community policing operations in Port Moresby and Lae.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Alan Scott said the last 10 deployed brought the total number of sworn officers working as part of the PNG-Australia Policing Partnership (PNG-APP) to 62.

“We have met the Australian government’s promise of an additional 50 AFP officers to be working in PNG by the end of this year,” Assistant Commissioner Scott said. “Now that the full contingent is here, we are looking forward to working in partnership with the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) to assist in developing their highly visible policing capability.”

PNG-APP were to continue providing “assistance to the RPNGC to meet the objectives of their modernisation program, according to a written statement.

“Since the first additional group of 30 officers arrived in November, we have been working very closely with our RPNGC colleagues,” Assistant Commissioner Scott said.

“The goal of our enhanced mission is, in partnership with the RPNGC, to continue to develop the capacity of the RPNGC to provide sustainable and quality policing to the people of PNG.”

After yesterday, one less Papua New Guinean needs policing.

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