6 Mar 2015

West Papuan leader notes 'sadistic' Indonesian photo op

12:31 pm on 6 March 2015

A leading West Papuan independence activist has drawn a parallel between Indonesian treatment of convicted drug smugglers with that of West Papuans.

Benny Wenda has taken note of a controversial photo of the police chief in Bali, posing with Andrew Chan, an Australian citizen about to be killed by the Indonesian soldiers around him, on board a flight to his execution venue.

Left: Indonesian police chief poses with Andrew Chan, an Australian enroute for execution. Right:Indonesian soldiers pose with Yustinus Murib, a Papuan they have just killed.

Left: Indonesian police chief poses with Andrew Chan, an Australian enroute for execution. Right:Indonesian soldiers pose with Yustinus Murib, a Papuan they have just killed. Photo: Supplied

In a statement, Mr Wenda likens the image to a photo of Indonesian soldiers, posing for the camera around Yustinus Murib, a West Papuan who they had just killed.

A spokesman for the United Liberation Movement of West Papua, Mr Wenda says the photos display the attitude of Indonesian authorities towards anyone who opposes them.

He says that like Australian citizens bound for execution, many West Papuans have been escorted by smiling and sadistic Indonesian soldiers and police officers, only to be killed like animals at the command of the government.

He says he hopes the Australian government will also look with the same sympathy at the suffering of West Papuans under Indonesian rule as they do at Australians about to be executed.