Dear friends,
There is 48 hours left to
meet a modest fundraising goal and we are halfway there: we have raised
$370 out of our $760 goal to buy a key West Papua human right advocate a
computer.
Mama Tineke was the star witness at
the Biak Tribunal in Sydney last year. This computer will help her tell
her story to the world (see details below).
Consider donating now: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/mama-tineke-victims-for-justice
The fundraising campaign ends Friday, October 24. Please help spread the word.
Salam hangat,
Eben
--
S. Eben Kirksey, Ph.D.
ARC Fellow, Discovery Early Career Researcher (2014-2017)
ARC Fellow, Discovery Early Career Researcher (2014-2017)
Empowering a brave West Papuan woman to tell her story
During the 1998 Biak Massacre, Tineke Rumakabu experienced
and witnessed some of the worst crimes against humanity in the late 20th
Century.
Scores of unarmed civilians were tortured and killed and their
bodies dumped at sea by Indonesian troops. On the fifteen year
anniversary of this massacre Mama Tineke gave powerful testimony to a Citizens Tribunal held
at the University of Sydney. Last year she bravely returned to Biak
after giving testimony, intent on gathering the stories of other
witnesses and survivors.
Victims for Justice, (Bersatu Untuk Keadilan,
BUK), her organization, has been conducting long-term research and
advocacy in collaboration with survivors of the Biak massacre and other
victims of human rights abuse in West Papua.
Last
July marked the sixteen year anniversary of the Biak massacre and Mama
Tineke again spoke out. This time she spoke to local reporters at a
small event in Jayapura, West Papua's capitol city. After a story about
her testimony ran in a regional newspaper, men tried to abduct her on
July 7th, 2014. "She was approached by two men," according to Crikey "one
of whom tried to pull her hands behind her back and punched her in the
stomach. She says she picked up a large stone and threw it at her
attackers. Although she missed, they retreated."
Earlier this year Mama Tineke arrived in Australia, after being evacuated from West Papua with generous support from Frontline Defenders, a human rights organization based in Ireland.
Earlier this year Mama Tineke arrived in Australia, after being evacuated from West Papua with generous support from Frontline Defenders, a human rights organization based in Ireland.
Mama Tineke intends to continue her work
with Victims for Justice (Bersatu Untuk Keadilan) from her new home in
Cairns, in the far north of Australia. She intends to tell her story,
and the story of the other victims of human rights abuse that she has
interviewed over the years, using digital video webcasts and audio
podcasts.
If we meet our
initial goal of raising $760, we will be able to buy her a Gateway 10.1”
Netbook Computer ($350 with shipping) plus six months of high-speed
internet access ($60 a month + $50 start up fee ADSL2+ regional plan
with Club Telco). Mama Tineke is also supporting a network of other
victims and family members who are still in Biak. All funds that exceed
our initial $760 goal will support her work with this extended network.
