Monday September 30th 2013, Free West Papua Campaign Infonight/Benefit, Volkseten Vegazulu, 7pm
Jeremy Bally is a man on a mission. He is Pedalling for Papua on a Storytelling Biketour accross 7 countries: Canada, U.S.A, Ireland, U.K., the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand (12.000 km). Like the old troubadours, accompanied by his ukelele/hip-hop base songs, he will bring us stories and testimonies of a little know conflict: the occupation and repression in West Papua by the Indonesian government.
Official estimates range from 100,000 to 500,000 West Papuans having died as a result of the Indonesian government’s policies in this illegally annexed region (an ongoing media ban makes this figure impossible to verify). The slow-burning conflict is fueled by one of the highest military to civilian ratios in the world, while legal and illegal logging, mining and fishing uproot one of the world’s most diverse and valuable ecosystems. Profits from resource extraction trickle down in meager amounts to West Papuans, whose home regularly ranks last out of Indonesia’s 33 provinces on markers for development like access to healthcare and education. Poverty is rampant.
It has been over 50 years since the occupation of West Papua by Indonesia began. This colonial era has been defined by long term imprisonment of peaceful activists, an undisciplined and abusive military presence, and the pouring out of tens of thousands of West Papuans as refugees. The story behind the conflict which has created these conditions is one of the greatest-ever gaps in reporting by the international media, as barriers set up through an intentionally entangled bureaucracy prevent international journalists from entering the region. In spite of this, the story has become widely available. 50 years of determined West Papuans have pushed it through the cracks. All the story needs is to be found, and told.
We invite you to educate yourself, and then become part of turning this little known conflict into household topic.
More info at http://www.pedallingforpapua.com
Volkseten Vegazulu is a people’s kitchen, every monday and thursday, 19:00 PM, vegan food for 4€ or donation. All benefits go for social & political struggles. No reservation.
We’re always looking for cooks. Any help is welcome in the kitchen. Experience not required. Enjoying it is a must. If you want to know which days are still available in the schedule, send an email to joe[at]squat.net and book yourself the night. You can, of course, also participate by rolling up your sleeves and doing the dishes.
