Papua people, rallying to Merdeka Palace. (Image via Bendigo Advertiser)

Joining Papua rally, 4 Australians deported

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Scandal
Investigations
Sep 02, 2019
22085
Four Australian tourists were deported back to their homeland after getting caught joining Papuan rally. Tom Baxter (37), Cheryl Melinda Davidson (36), Danielle Joy Hellyer (31), and Ruth Irene Cobbold (25) were arrested during the Papuan protest in front of the mayor building in Sorong, West Papua, Tuesday (27/8) last week.

The head of intelligence and law enforcement at Sorong Immigration Office, Cun Sudiharto, confirmed the news.

“The four Australians were detained during the protest at mayor’s office building in Sorong,” stated Sudiharto, “they were also waving Morning Star flag & joining protesters on the bikes.”

Baxter, Davidson, Hellyer, and Cobbold were tourists who intended to travel to Raja Ampat and had been staying in Sorong since 10 August due to the boat which they used to travel to the Raja Ampat island broke down.

Davidson, one of the Australians, speaks Indonesian and was questioned by the local authorities about their involvement in the protest. Due to the incident, Baxter and co are required to travel back to Australia and face a six-month travel ban.

The Papua protest was triggered due to an incident involving apprehension of 40 Papuan students in Surabaya, East Java, on Indonesia’s Independence Day (17/8). They were apprehended allegedly because they damaged the national flag of Indonesia.

However, the situation grew dark as the local officials in Surabaya called the Papuan students as “dogs” and “monkeys” on a viral video. The video sparked protests that burned several parliaments buildings in Manokwari, the capital of West Papua. To calm the protest, the local government had dispatched police force and blocked internet access temporarily.

Source: https://www.watoday.com.au/world/asia/four-australians-being-deported-for-joining-papua-protests-20190902-p52n43.html

Scandal , Protest , Demonstration , Travel , Indonesia , West-Papua , Australia , Deportation