31 Jan 2005

Students plan sit in Papua as military campaign in highlands continues

9:34 pm on 31 January 2005

A human rights campaigner in the Indonesian province of Papua says the military is continuing a campaign in the highlands that has caused dozens to die of starvation and left thousands homeless.

Dr Benny Giay, the co-ordinator of the Bureau of Human Rights and Justice, says the months long military campaign, in the Puncak Jaya region, has not eased despite protests from church leaders and NGOs.

He says students plan to stage a protest sit in tomorrow at the Jayapura parliament as part of a call for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to visit the province to see the impact the military is having.

Dr Giay says the students are also calling for the military campaign to stop.