Please release Benny Wenda

Benny Wenda, Speaking from Police Custody in West Papua:

>>>>
I am not a thief, neither am I a criminal or am I a separatist leader. I am standing for my people, in the names of truth and democracy, defending the aspiration and wish of my people. I am not arrested with the charges below, but because I am defending my rights, the fundamental rights to live freely, to eat freely, to move freely, to express my opinion freely and to gather and have social assosiations freely in this world and in this era.

I am a political prisoner for my people and my country.
>>>>>>>>>>

=====================
Benny Wenda, S.Sos, Chairperson and or Secretary-General of the Koteka Tribal Assembly (Dewan Musyawarah Adat Masyarakat Koteka - Demmak) was arrested on 08 June 2002, 01:30PM Papua Time (+9GMT) due to three charges:
1. He owns two passports from two countries (Indonesia and PNG);
2. He organised the attack on Bloody Abepura 6-7 December 2000.
3. He was organising a new attacks on TNI and Police posts in West Papua.

All charges were exposed only some hours after arrest. In other words, the charges were given BEFORE proper and just legal proceedings. Charges have no legal bases.

We want to tell the Indonesian police and army that Indonesian does not promote and respect legal supremacy. That legal systems here are not working. That Benny should be released until his arrest is proven to be legally justified.

=============
Background info:

Arbitrary arrests and or charges before legal proceedings are the culture of the military and police in Indonesia. They do not respect and even they do not trust the legal systems they themselves established.

The occupation of Indonesia itself is illegal. Consequently, all state-terrorism acts in West Papua since 1963 have been violationg human rights.

We want your help to free Benny Wenda.

Yours sincerely,

Sem Karoba
--------------------------
International Spokesperson AMP for Demmak