The West Papuan Council of Churches have released a statement today

The West Papuan Council of Churches have released a statement today demanding that the Indonesian government listen to the voices of the West Papuan people and stop plans for expansion of provinces in Papua which they believe will only lead to further marginalisation of Indigenous Papuans and more conflict. They also condemned the recent response of the Indonesian government to the letter from UN Special Rapporteurs who expressed their concern on the urgent humanitarian situation in West Papua. Their statement expressed condolences for victims of violence of the Security forces and from the TPNPB and recommended that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights should visit West Papua as soon as possible.

On the issue of dialogue currently proposed by the National Human Rights Commission between the government and the TPN-PB the WPCC recommended that before any steps are taken towards Dialogue the Government needs to ensure that: 1. All military are withdrawn from Papua; 2. Over 60,000 people who have been displaced due to conflict can return to their homes; 3. A stop to all legal process against Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti and the criminalization of other human rights activists in Indonesia who are fighting for human rights in Papua; 4. Any dialogue should have the support of Papuan civil society.

Finally the WPCC propose that the government of Indonesia should start steps towards holding dialogue with the ULMWP.