Letter for international parliamentarians:
HOUSE OF COMMONS, LONDON SW1A 0AA
Dear Parliamentary colleague,
THE WEST PAPUA DECLARATION
Launch in London on 1st December 2008
As Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on West Papua and together with all my fellow supporters of the West Papuan cause in the United Kingdom Parliament and in other Parliaments worldwide, I would like to express my deep gratitude for your support for International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) which made its launch at the Houses of Parliament here in London on 15th October 2008 such a great success.
Benny Wenda, the leader of the West Papuan independence movement here in Britain, has also asked me pass on to you the sincere thanks of the indigenous people of West Papua for whom IPWP represents an enormous step forwards.
To build on this very successful event, IPWP will launch the West Papua Declaration on Monday 1st December 2008. The aim of the Declaration is to continue our vital task of bringing West Papua to international attention and to seek a just and peaceful solution to over four decades of conflict. For most of that time the injustice of the West Papuan situation has continued virtually unnoticed by the outside world. IPWP intends to work for peaceful change in West Papua by uniting the voice of international parliamentarians who stand for democracy, human rights and the rule of international law, together with the voice of the West Papuans themselves which has been shamefully silenced until now.
At 11 am on Monday 1st December 2008, in Portcullis House – Room O there will be a petition presentation and signing of the West Papua declaration. After the presentation and the signing of the declaration Benny Wenda, Lord Harries and I will deliver the Petition, including a copy of the West Papua Declaration, to the Prime Minister to mark West Papua Independence Day (the day in 1961 when the Dutch promised independence for West Papua).
I am pleased to enclose the West Papua Declaration which I have prepared together with Benny Wenda and which has been approved by other Papuan leaders. We would be very grateful if you could consider adding your voice to the growing call for justice and peace for West Papua by putting your name to the West Papua Declaration.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Smith
Rt Hon. Andrew Smith M.P.
Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group on West Papua
Enc. The West Papua Declaration, 1st December 2008
Letter for UK parliamentarians:
HOUSE OF COMMONS, LONDON SW1A 0AA
Dear Colleague,
THE WEST PAPUA DECLARATION
Launch in London on 1st December 2008
As Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on West Papua and together with all my fellow parliamentary supporters of the West Papuan cause here in Britain and worldwide, I would like to express my deep gratitude for your interest in and/or support for International Parliamentarians for West Papua (IPWP) which made its launch at the Houses of Parliament on 15th October 2008 such a great success.
Benny Wenda, the leader of the West Papuan independence movement in the United Kingdom, has also asked me pass on to you the sincere thanks of the indigenous people of West Papua for whom IPWP represents an enormous step forwards.
To build on this very successful event, IPWP will launch the West Papua Declaration on Monday 1st December 2008. The aim of the Declaration is to continue our vital task of bringing West Papua to international attention and to seek a just and peaceful solution to over four decades of conflict. For most of that time the injustice of the West Papuan situation has continued virtually unnoticed by the outside world. IPWP intends to work for peaceful change in West Papua by uniting the voice of international parliamentarians who stand for democracy, human rights and the rule of international law, together with the voice of the West Papuans themselves which has been shamefully silenced until now.
At 11 am on Monday 1st December 2008, in Portcullis House – Room O there will be a petition presentation and signing of the West Papua declaration. After the presentation and the signing of the declaration Benny Wenda, Lord Harries and I will deliver the Petition, including a copy of the West Papua Declaration, to the Prime Minister to mark West Papua Independence Day (the day in 1961 when the Dutch promised independence for West Papua). We very much hope you may be able to join us in Downing Street on 1st December to help deliver the Petition.
I am also pleased to enclose the West Papua Declaration which I have prepared together with Benny Wenda and which has been approved by other Papuan leaders. We would be very grateful if you could consider adding your voice to the growing call for justice and peace for West Papua by putting your name to the West Papua Declaration.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Smith
Rt Hon. Andrew Smith M.P.
Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group on West Papua
Enc. The West Papua Declaration, 1st December 2008
To download the letters click here
To download the Declaration click here