THEY HAVE REFUSED TO EAT AND TALK - "They accused the police of breaking their promises and treating the people brutally" Elsham news service - Jayapura, 4 December 2004 - Two prisoners (pro-independence activists), Philip Karma (47) and Yusak Pakage(26) who have been arrested since 2nd of December 2004 at 15.30 West Papua Time(WPT) are reported to have been on a hunger strike. They have refused to eat and talk to the police and whoever comes to visit them.
Karma and Pakage are two of twenty-two prisoners who were arrested after the police violently forced the people to end the peaceful demonstration and the raising of Bintang Kejora, the West Papuan flag in Abepura Trikora field on the 1st of December. The police shot and tortured the people who were involved in the demonstration.

On December 3rd at 08.00 am police officers came inside the prisoner's (Karma and Pakage) cell and wanted to feed them. However, they refused to eat and talk to the police officers. When they were questioned (by the police officers), Karma and Pakage showed a notice to them which says: "BEGINNING FROM TODAY 3rd DECEMBER 2004 WE'RE ON HUNGER STRIKE AND WE REFUSE TO TALK"

Since Karma and Pakage did not want to eat and talk, the police therefore reported this case to the head of research and criminal unit who forwarded the report to the head of Jayapura police. The deputy head of Jayapura police then came inside the cell and tried to talk to the two prisoners. However, they refused to talk.

The police also offered a doctor to examine their health, however, they rejected this. Thus, at 16.00 pm WPT, the police contacted their lawyers; Alberth Rumbekwan and Aloysius Renwarin - both from ELSHAM Papua and Paskalis Letsoin (from LBH Jayapura (Jayapura Legal Aid Foundation)) to come and see their condition and to talk to them to find out the cause of their strike.

"We met the suspects Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage at 18.00 WPT and when we met them we saw that brother Karma was already very weak and was not able to walk. Another prisoner helped him to carry his arm and walked slowly. Brother Yusak, however, was still able to walk properly".

In the meeting with the two prisoners, Alberth Rumbekwan said to them that the hunger strike (eating and talking) is their human right, however, what the lawyers need to find out is the reason or the cause of doing it. Each of them then told the lawyers why they decided to go on the hunger strike and refuse to talk.

Philip Karma's reasons:

1. He protests to the Head of Jayapura Police Intelligence, saying that he had met him on the 30th of November 2004 when he made a request to the Head of the Police Intelligence and said "When the Bintang Kejora flag is raised on the 1st of December 2004, we expect that there should not be any violent action to force us to lower the flag because we will lower it respectfully and then I will surrender myself". However, the reality was that when the flag was raised, the security (police officers) came inside (the field), beat and shot people.

2. That when he was taken on the police truck, the police officers beat him and stepped on his body that caused him terrible injury. Thus, he feels very sick now.

3. That he refused any doctor prepared by the police.

Yusak Pakage's reasons:

1. According to Yusak, what he did (organizing demonstration and flag raising on the 1st of December ) was the expression of the truth of Papuan independence. Therefore, he refused to sign the letter of arrest and the police official report of his examination.

2. Based on the above views, he wanted to be examined or judged by an independent institution and not by the Indonesian police.

3. He realises that he is right and therefore he should be released from any punishments.

After hearing all their reasons, the two prisoners suggested that their lawyers would find them a doctor and not the police (who would find them a doctor). Kama and Pakage also stated that they would continue their hunger strike until all their claims are fulfilled.

The lawyers reported to ELSHAM that they have not met the head of the police research section to report the results of their meeting immediately. Therefore, they cannot predict what steps would be taken next by the Jayapura police in response to the strike. (END)