Telegraph.co.uk
17 May 2010
David Cameron becomes hero of Papuan tribes
Tribespeople in West Papua have pinned their hopes
on David Cameron helping their
campaign for independence from
Indonesia.
By Alastair
Jamieson
Published: 7:00AM BST 17 May 2010
David Cameron’s elevation to Prime Minister is being celebrated by tribespeople
in West Papua who have pinned their hopes on him helping their campaign for
independence from Indonesia.
Posters of the Conservative leader have been held aloft in villages across the
province following news of his arrival in Downing Street in the wake of the
coalition agreement.
Mr Cameron has been feted by many of the one million indigenous inhabitants of
West Papua after a meeting last year with their exiled leader Benny Wenda, who
was granted asylum by Britain in 2003.
The province covers the western part of the island of New Guinea, with the
eastern half being Papua New Guinea.
Following independence from Dutch colonial rule in the 1950s, it was handed
over to the UN but was formally annexed by Indonesia following a 1969
referendum whose legitimacy was subsequently marred by allegations of coercion.
The Free Papua Movement, whose campaign for self-determination is supported by
most of the indigenous population, is outlawed in Indonesia.
Mr Wenda fled to Britain after escaping jail in Indonesia where he was being
held, accused of raising the Free Papua flag, which is banned, and of causing
of civil unrest.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph earlier this year, Mr Cameron
described the plight of the tribespeople as “a terrible situation”.
Dominic Brown, an independent filmmaker whose documentary about West Papua, The
Forgotten Bird of Paradise, has been seen by Mr Cameron, said pictures of
tribespeople holding messages of support were taken at the weekend by activists
spreading the word about Britain’s new Prime Minister.
He said: “They are all very happy. It gives them great hope that their voice
may finally be heard at international level.”
“Last year the International Committee of the Red Cross was thrown out by the
Indonesian Government and hasn’t been able to return since.
"Cameron is the only western leader to have expressed any real interest in
their campaign and they have really pinned their hopes on him being able to do
something about the situation."
Among those pictured are political prisoners Buchtar Tabuni and Victor Yiemo
who were jailed by the government after taking part in a demonstration.
Mr Wenda, 35, and his wife Maria perform traditional West Papuan music as The
Lani Singers.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/indonesia/7730971/David-Cameron-becomes-hero-of-Papuan-tribes.html
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