PapuaAround.com – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) has issued a call for all residents of West Papua to observe a holiday on August 15, 2024. This call extends to the entire region of West Papua, from Raja Ampat to Almasuh. KNPB Central Chairperson, Warpo Sampai Wetipo, emphasized that the organization will mark August as Racism Month by holding demonstrations.
“On August 15, 2024, we must and will take a holiday; there will be no activities,” Warpo stated in a written statement on Sunday, August 4, 2024.
This call is part of an effort to commemorate the New York Agreement, which took place on August 15, 1962. The agreement marked the transfer of control over West Papua from the Netherlands to Indonesia. KNPB hopes that all residents of West Papua will participate in honoring this historic moment.
The call for a holiday on August 15, 2024, is directed at 32 sectors of West Papuan society, including executive, legislative, and judicial leaders across Papua, all civil servants, KNPB leaders and members throughout Papua, the Papuan People’s Assembly, and others.
KNPB has also extended invitations to the Cendrawasih Military Commander and his staff, the Papua Police Chief and his staff, church leaders, religious scholars, and mosque imams throughout Papua. Additionally, lawyers and Papuan customary council leaders are included in the invitation. Several leaders of the Free Papua Organization (OPM), such as Melanesia Barat, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, the West Papua National Parliament, and various other civil movement organizations, are also invited.
Warpo urged all residents of West Papua to set aside their usual activities and join the demonstration, which will take place on Abepura Highway to Sentani and from Abepura Highway to Jayapura. “From individuals to groups, with collective awareness, everyone must and should join and support this peaceful, non-violent demonstration,” he said.
Warpo also reminded the people of West Papua to uphold the values of justice, truth, honesty, and genuine humanity during the demonstration. He urged security forces not to provoke or criminalize the public during the demonstration.
“We are an oppressed people, whether you are Papuan or non-Papuan. Our enemy is not straight or curly hair, nor is it black or yellow skin,” he said. According to him, the enemy of the people is the capitalist state system.
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KNPB hopes that the demonstration on August 15, 2024, will be peaceful and non-violent. Warpo emphasized that this action is a form of protest against a system perceived as unjust and discriminatory. He also hopes that this action will bring global attention to the struggle of the people of West Papua.
“Our enemy is the oppressive capitalist system, not physical or racial differences,” Warpo asserted. He highlighted the importance of collective awareness in fighting injustice and advocating for the rights of the people of West Papua.
This call has elicited various responses from the public. Some support the action as a form of resistance against injustice, while others are concerned about potential unrest. However, Warpo insisted that the demonstration will be peaceful and will prioritize humanitarian values.
In facing this action, security forces are expected to maintain a conducive situation and refrain from provocative actions. KNPB also urges the public to remain calm and not be provoked by those who wish to exploit the situation for personal gain.
KNPB invites all elements of West Papuan society to unite in the struggle for justice and human rights. This action is hoped to be a significant moment in the history of the people of West Papua’s fight for freedom and equality.
Source: Tempo.