News Desk – Commemorating December 1
3 December 2022
Jayapura, Jubi – Dozens of activists from the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP), the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP), and the Indonesian Student League for Democracy (LMID) protested in front of the Ternate Police Headquarters, North Maluku on Thursday evening, December 1, 2022. They demanded that the police release eight of their colleagues who were arrested when commemorating the West Papua Independence Day on December 1.
Head of the Unification Department of the FRI-WP Anton Trisno said that until Thursday evening, the protesters were still staying in the courtyard of the Ternate Police Headquarters.
“Our friends were arrested by the police while commemorating the independence day of the West Papua nation on December 1, 1961,” Anton said.
Among those arrested by the police were Jack (FRI-WP activist), Hengky (AMP activist), Dino (AMP activist), Susan (AMP activist), Malo (LMID activist), Kama (LMID activist), Rino, and Wave. Trisno said that the protesters who rallied on Thursday did not commit any unlawful acts.
“We expressed our aspirations peacefully. Some ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers infiltrated the crowd to disperse the protesters. This is a violation to our freedom of speech,” he said.
Trisno asked the police to immediately release eight of his colleagues. “We urge the Ternate Police Chief to immediately release the eight activists who are still detained. We demand the police to release them unconditionally,” he said. (*)