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Death of Papuan leader Kelly Kwalik - TAPOL calls for investigation

tapol has today written to the foreign secretary, david miliband expressing concern over the situation in west papua following the killing last week of the west papuan resistance leader, kelly kwalik..
21 December 2009

TAPOL has today written to the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband expressing concern over the situation in West Papua following the killing last week of the West Papuan resistance leader, Kelly Kwalik..

The letter notes that the circumstances of Kwalik's death are contentious and need to be independently investigated. It regretted the fact that the security forces in West Papua were placed under high alert, pointing out that this has only intensified the tensions triggered by the Papuan leaders' death. It also regretted the fact that the police had announced a ban on the display of the Morning Star flag during the burial which was officiated by Bishop John Saklil, the Bishop of Timika.

TAPOL urged the British Government:

• To call on the Indonesian Government to exercise restraint in the present circumstances in West Papua and ensure that the security forces are under strict instructions to allow the people to give expression to their grief over the death of Kelly Kwalik.
• To urge the Indonesian Government to enable an independent investigation to be conducted into the circumstances of Kelly Kwalik’s death.
• To lift the ban announced in 2007 on the display of the Morning Star flag and recognize that banning the use of the flag is an unwarranted infringement of the Papuan people’s right to freedom of expression.

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