Contributor:
Setyo Budi
Posted: 4-6-2009
West Papuan asylum seekers’ desire for his country to be independent from Indonesia is bolder as the Australian government granted them Permanent Residency late May.
By Setyo Budi and Gilius Kagoya*
“We never wished to come to Australia to build our future, the right of self determination and political independent from Indonesia is our future” said Jacob Rumbiak, one of the West Papuan leaders in Melbourne in the ceremony celebration.
Attended by over 70 people including a few local politicians, 39 West Papuan asylum seekers celebrated their permanent residency status by singing, dancing and displaying their paintings to the ceremony attendants. City of Yarra assisted by providing the venue for the ceremony at Fitzroy town hall.
The asylum seekers involved in community activities and produced art works including paintings they arrived in Australia while waiting for getting permanent residency. Their paintings tell story about their desire for freedom, journey to Australia and land.
There were 43 of them when they landed at Mapoon, west coast of Cape York on January 17, 2006. Escaped from Indonesia, fear of being prosecuted by Indonesian military because of their political belief, they travelled on a 7 metre traditional canoe for 5 days to Australia.
To date, 4 of them went back to Indonesia as they could not contain their longing to be together with their families in West Papua; they were also allegedly offered financial benefit by the Indonesian government.
“The Indonesian government influenced them to go back to Indonesia. Their return is to show to the international community that West Papua is a safe place. They were ordered to say as the Indonesian government’s wishes” said Herman Wainggai one of the asylum seekers.
Now lives in Brisbane, Queensland, Wainggai studies English at Southbank TAFE. He wants to be a lawyer to represent his communities in the international arena.
“I have lot of opportunity in Australia, I want to study about legal system and continue to fight for independent” said Wainggai.
Like other West Papuan asylum seekers, he hopes that Australian government also supports the independence of his country, like it supported East Timor’s independence in the past.
*Kagoya is yarrareporter’s journalist.
Attached file:
Click here to view photo of the event
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