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200 Acehnese and Papuans demonstrate in Yogyakarta

Detik.com - December 10, 2003

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – As well as Jakarta, lively actions to commemorate world human rights day were also held in other parts of the country.

Around 200 West Papuans and Acehnese held an action at the state palace in Yogyakarta, Central Java. The action which was joined by demonstrators from People’s Solidarity for Papua and Aceh (Solidaritas Rakyat untuk Papua dan Aceh, SRuPA) began at 10.30am. The demonstrators gathered at the intersection of the Yogyakarta Monument then held a long-march through Jalan Mangkubumi and Jalan Malioboro towards the state palace.

As with most actions, the demonstrated unfuled a number of banners and held speeches. The banners read “Stop War Aceh or Papua”, “We Love Piis (Peace)” and “End the Spilling of Blood on the Soil of Aceh and Papua”.

Meanwhile, the coordinator of the action, Teuku Kemal Fasya, said that the action aimed to pressure the government to end the violence in Aceh and West Papua. “We call for an immediate end to the miltiary operation in Aceh. The government must immediately try the perpertrators of human rights, both civilians and military”, said Fasya.

[Translated by Katarina Puji Astuti.]