Phone for Papuan Prisoners
Urgent Action
SUPPORT WEST PAPUAN PRISONERS
Urgent: phone prisoners asap and especially on Tues 21st Dec 2004 when there will be a mass phone in... and on 27th and 28th of Dec.
Since the election of Indonesian President Yudohyono violence against the people of West Papua has massively increased. There are currently many recently arrested prisoners needing our support, two of whom are on hunger strike. Also on 15th December nine prisoners previously being held in Wamena prison were taken without warning and moved hundreds of miles to a prison in Makassar, no reason was given for the move but there is great concern for their lives as many prisoners previously moved from Papua to other parts of Indonesia have never returned having been poisoned in far away prisons.
Please support these prisoners by telephoning the police and prison guards (don't worry if you can't speak Indonesian it's still very important) and letting them know the world is watching them. This sort of action helps prevent torture and has previously proven very successful, bringing better prison conditions and has been a factor in early releases. (See Prisoner Support Page.) So please join others and make a phone call on Tues 21st December...
(for more info about phoning prisoners see the bottom of this mail which includes some Indonesian phrases you can say, remember the most important thing is to clearly say the names of the people you are phoning about.)
MERAUKE PRISONERS
17 Dec 04 Four OPM members in Merauke Okaba district have been charged with 20 years sentence for attacking a polling booth and killing one police officer during the recent Presidential elections:
- Januarys Basik-Basik 20 year's sentence
- David Haliwa Balagaize 20 year's sentence
- Hendrikus Way Yolmen 10 year's sentence
- Longgimus Basik-Basik 15 years sentence
Please phone the prison and let the guards know we are watching them, you can also write and send cards to these prisoners:
Address: Lembaga Pemasyarakatan Merauke, Jl. Ermasu No 18, Merauke, Papua, Indonesia
Telephone: +62971 321178
PRISONERS ON HUNGER STRIKE
(see West Papua News article on hunger strike)
Philip Karma (45) and Yusak Pakage (26) are on hunger strike in POLDA
(Jayapura police cells) having been arrested on 1st December for
organinsing a pro independence flag raising ceremony. You can phone:
Polda Papua: +62 967 533763 or 531717,
Prison Cells Polda: +62 967 531830,
Intelligence Polda: +62 967 531829.
Ask for the immediate release of these prisoners.
NINE PRISONERS MOVED TO MAKASSAR
The following prisoners, many of whom we have been writing to over the last year have suddenly been moved from Wamena to Makassar where we fear for their safety. (1) Linus Hiluka, (2). Jein Hesegem, (3). Hery Aso, (4). Gustaf Ayomi, (5). Micael Hesalo, (6). Kimanus Wenda, (7). Numbuk Telengen, (8). Jefrey Murib and (9). Henos Lokobal.
Please phone Wamena police Chief and Wamena prison asking why they have been removed and request their immediate return to Papuan soil.
Chief of police in Wamena: +62969 31072
Police Office in Wamena: +62969 31110
Wamena Prison: +62969 32586
Bupati (Regent) of Wamena: +62969 31005
(we hope soon to find there whereabouts and publish contact details)
TEMBAGAPURA PRISONER
Pius Waker was recently arrested in Tembagapura on suspicion of supplying OPM/TPN with goods and participation in a 1999 flag raising. He is being held in Timika prison. We are currently looking for a telephone number whihc will be posted when we find it.
For more info about Koteka Prisoner Support and help with phoning the prisons see the Koteka Prisoner Support website.
Phoning Prisoners
We cannot speak to the prisoners themselves but can call the guards and by letting them know we are ringing from overseas and who we are calling for we can help the prisoners and the message often gets through to them. This is easy to do and can really change the attitude of the prison guards to the prisoners concerned. Phone on important days when people are recently arrested or choose a couple of prisoners to telephone regularly. See the prisoner lists for people to phone.
You can phone Indonesia from UK for 15p per minute by first dialling 0905 306 0197, then the international number. West Papua is 9 hours ahead of the GMT. However the phone will often be answered 24 hours so just ring when you can.
The most important thing is just to say the prisoners names a lot, even if they don't understand English, and make it clear you are phoning from abroad.
Some Indonesian phrases you can use (pronunciation guide in brackets):
- Saya telepon tentang … (Sy-ar telepon tentang..) - I am telephoning about ...
- Hati hati (Harti harti) - Be careful
- Kami jaga lihat anda sekarang. (Karmee jargar leehat anda seykarang) - We are watching you now
- Saya dari Inggris. (Sy-yar dary Ingrees) - I am from England
- Kamu pratikan baik kesehatan mereka, minum, makan dan keselamatan mereka. (Karmu prateekan bike kay-say-hartan meraykar, minum, makan dan kay-selamtan meraykar) - Treat them well, give food, water and look after them)
- Kami tahu apa yang lakukan di lembaga. (Karmee tarhoo apa yang larkookan dee lembarga) - We know what you do in the prison
- Kami adalah teman mereka. (Karmee ard-ar-lar tayman meraykar) - We are their friends
- Papua Merdeka! - Free Papua!