DAWN writes a letter to the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea to call for:

1. Immediate release of all West Papuan refugees from Vanimo camp, and assurance of highest forms of protection of women, children and babies until the time of release;

2. Full and transparent PNG government investigation on the role of PNG armed forces in the events at Vanimo, and subsequent arrest and property damage of West Papua refugees;

3. The PNG government to work with Pacific Island countries, and Governments of the Republics of Vanuatu, Senegal, and Commonwealth States of New Zealand and Australia to assist any displaced West Papuan refugees to seek asylum in a third country if they so require;

4. The PNG Government to work with the international community in ensuring the fundamental rights of West Papuans in Papua New Guinea are respected and protected according to the international law on refugees and human rights; including providing immediate access to UNHCR, UN Women and other international aid agencies to ensure wellbeing and safety of the refugees.

5. The PNG Government to take action on the information that it is the Indonesian military that is causing instability in West Papua – not the actions of a few West Papuan refugees struggling for their survival. The recent reports of the torture of West Papuans by the Indonesian security forces, the release of the Kompassus Secret Report and the information from the WikiLeaks cables about US concerns at the activities of the TNI in relation to West Papua, aptly show this;

6. The PNG government to therefore call on the USA and Australia to immediately stop all funding of military training and other activities of the Kopassus/Indonesian Military. These countries continue to provide millions of dollars each year in resources and capabilities to the Indonesian Military who in turn have terrorised civilian populations and freedom fighters in West Papua over the past 48 years.