On January, 30 2009 In The Hague the Free West Papua Campaign Netherlands organized a Kelly Kwalik Memorial.
The late commander Kelly Kwalik was an important leader of the OPM. He resisted Indonesia’s rule over Papua until the last day of his life. He was shot to death by the Indonesian Mobile Brigade Police in Timika, Papua.
On the memorial day for Kelly Kwalik we were struck by the message that Viktor Kaisiëpo is "on his way". A tragic message. allthough we already knew that he was seriously ill. Viktor is an important lobbyer for the Free West Papua movement on international level. It will be very difficult to fill in his place in the network he built.
Victor Kaisiëpo is born in 1948 in Korido, West Papua. In October 1962 the family of Victor Kaisiëpo came to live in the Netherlands as a result of the New York Agreement in August 1962 and the resistence of his father, Markus Kaisiëpo, against the Indonesian takeover. Victor Kaisiëpo continues his father’s work, for the right of self-determination of his people. Since 1984 he does that on a fulltime basis. In July 2000 he was one of the speakers during the already historical Second Papua People’s Conference in Jayapura where he was appointed as the representative in Europe of the Presidium Dewan Papua. He participates in various Dutch, European and international networks and conducts dialogue with various governments.
Below some pictures of the memorial.
