URGENT APPEAL: 11 Political Prisoners in Tantui Ambon, 30 Political Prisoners Polres Ambon
REF: UAM 13/ 07
NAME: 11 Political Prisoners in Tantui Ambon, 30 Political Prisoners Polres Ambon.
VIOLATIONS: Unfair and inhumane detention.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please copy the letter below the background information or write in your own words and send it to:
Mr. Ban Ki-moon Secretary General of the United Nations ecu@un.org
AND Cc: indonesia2@un.int; nyv-cdp@minbuza.nl; netherlands@un.int; presse.cabinet@consilium.eu.int; hflautre@europarl.eu.int; h.vbommel@tweedekamer.nl; redaktie@fkmcpr.nl
OPTIONAL: PLEASE ALSO SEND APPEALS TO: Diplomatic Representatives of Indonesia in your country. Link to Indonesian Embassies worldwide http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/indonesia1.htm
The Foreign Minister of your country - WORLDWIDE Governments:
http://www.library.northwestern.edu/govpub/resource/internat/foreign.html
Please copy paste and send this appeal to your mailing lists.
BACKGROUND
Republik Maluku Selatan (the Moluccan Islands or Maluku) form an island group in the eastern part of present-day Indonesia. The Maluku (Moluccan) people, called Alifuru, are West-Melanesians (cf West Papua) and have occupied the islands since at least 1000 B.C. In the early 1600s, the Netherlands colonized the islands, beginning with the seizure of Ambon in 1605 and it ultimately seized all of the area of what is presently known as Indonesia.
During World War II, the Dutch East Indies were seized and held by the Japanese forces from 1942 to 1945. However, the Maluku people maintained a continual war of resistance by what became known as the South Moluccan Brigade against the Japanese occupiers.
In 1949 the Round Table Conference was held in the presence of The Dutch government, the Indonesian government and the UN. Agreements, which were to settle the handing over of power to the new United States of Indonesia (Republik Indonesia Serikat), were signed. The Agreements granted the Maluku people the right to determine their ultimate sovereignty: Maluku people were to have a choice whether to join with the new state Indonesia or to re-establish their historic independent status.
The Round Table Agreements were violated within a year of signing. In response, the Maluku people on April 25, 1950, declared the Republic of South-Moluccas, comprising the historic islands of the Maluku people: Amboina, Buru, Seram, Kai, Tanimbar, and the adjoining islands. At this time, the Unitarian Indonesian State (Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia) did not yet formally exist. It did not become fully independent until August 17, 1950.
Initially, Indonesian forces invaded the islands on July 13, 1950. A major invasion began on Ambon on September 25, 1950. This invasion cost the Indonesian forces 15,000 casualties before they were finally able to seize control of Ambon city.
Indonesia has met all of the opposition with repression of human rights and wholesale decimation of the Moluccan islands and resources. Indonesia has relocated many Javanese into Maluku as part of a strategy to undermine the self-determination claim of the Maluku people. Finally, the Indonesian government carries out policies to break down the Moluccan culture.
Since (the year) 2000 more than 400 RMS activists have been arrested in Indonesia for expressing their will to be independent. Their punishment varies from an imprisonment of several months up to 15 years. Currently more than 50 RMS activists are still in jail.
The government of the South-Moluccan Republic (RMS) was a legitimate government and was wrongly overturned by the government of Indonesia. The Maluku people are entitled to the exercise of self-determination because this was explicitly granted to them by history and express agreement of the governments of the Netherlands and Indonesia. Moreover, it was acknowledged by the United Nations.
-----------------------------------
Mr. Ban Ki-moon Secretary General of the United Nations ecu@un.org
Dear Mr. Ban Ki-moon,
I appeal to you to urge the Indonesian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the Moluccan political prisoners. Thirty prisoners are currently held in the Polres Ambon Maluku and eleven of them are held in Tantui Ambon Maluku. They were all arrested for peacefully expressing their call for independence.
The first group, consisting of seven people, was arrested on the 26th of June 2007 for making sixty RMS flags, which is banned by Indonesia. All of them sustain injuries to their bodies from beatings by the police.
The Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, visited Ambon at the National Family Day (Harganas). The flags were, allegedly, made to be raised during the president's visit.
The other thirty-four political prisoners were arrested on and after the 29th of June 2007. These political prisoners performed a traditional Moluccan dance during Harganas which was attended by the Indonesian president and an international entourage. The dancers pulled an RMS flag out of a traditional drum after the performance. By performing this dance and showing the RMS flag, the dancers expressed their will to be independent. After the dance detachment 88, a special anti terror unit, arrested the dancers.
The political prisoners are constantly interrogated, beaten and kept awake with cold water. On the 11th of July, 13 days after their arrest, their lawyers were granted access to visit them for the first time.
All 41 are given dirty water and food not fit for consumption.
The inhumane treatment of these 41 political prisoners, who were arrested for peacefully expressing their will to be independent, is of grave concern.
I urge you to use your good offices:
- to call on the Government of Indonesia to have all 41 Political prisoners,
Names of Political Prisoners in Tantui Ambon Maluku
1. Aponno Agus
2. Batjeran Hermanus
3. Hendriks Semuel
4. Johanis Piter
5. Malawauw Daniel
6. Manuputty Berce
7. Saiya Arens
8. Sinay Elias
9. Tanate Alexander
10. Titahena Beny
Names of Political Prisoners in Polres Ambon Maluku
1. Akihary Denny
2. Akihary Fredy
3. Hendriks Leonard
4. Litamahuputty Abner
5. Malawauw Alex
6. Malawauw Filip
7. Malawauw Hermanus (missing)
8. Radjawane Ferdinan
9. Rahayan Petrus
10. Riry Yeki
11. Riry Mersi
12. Saiya Marthe alias Boby
13. Saiya Ferjon
14. Saiya Yepta
15. Saiya Johan
16. Saiya Jordan
17. Saiya Stevie
18. Saiya Pieter
19. Saiya Abraham
20. Saiya Johnanis
21. Saiya Piter
22. Saiya Ruben
23. Sinay Josias
24. Sinay Melky
25. Sinay Jhony alias Jon
26. Sapakoly Jusuf
27. Tahapary Stevanus
28. Teterissa Johan
29. Tuapattinaya Reymon
30. Usmany Albert
31. Waas Ferdinand (village head of Hutumuri)
released immediately and unconditionally as a sign of good faith towards the people of Maluku.
- to request that all the political prisoners have immediate, on-going and regular access to the medical treatment they require.
- to demand that the Government of Indonesia immediately directs the military to desist from human rights abuses in the province of Maluku and halt all military expansion and operations and as the government of Indonesia illegally occupies Maluku, it should withdraw its military forces immediately.
The United Nations and the government of the Netherlands should carry out initiatives to restore the right to self-determination to the people of Maluku: the people of Maluku should be given the opportunity to reorganize their government in Maluku or, if it is their wish, to indicate by other means of free choice, their wishes for their governance.
Yours sincerely
Copies sent to
H.E Mr. REZLAN ISHAR JENIE, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations indonesia2@un.int;
H.E. FRANK A.M. MAJOOR, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations,
nyv-cdp@minbuza.nl; netherlands@un.int
H.E. JAVIER SOLANA Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union presse.cabinet@consilium.eu.int
Chairwoman Hélène FLAUTRE, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Human Rights, European Parliament, hflautre@europarl.eu.int
Tags: Maluku Ambon RMS FKMCPR Foundation for keeping Moluccan Civil and Political Rights
