I’m writing to you because I know your site covers news items related to Indonesia. I wanted to let you know about Filep Karma, a case Amnesty International will be featuring in its upcoming Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon, an annual letter-writing action timed around International Human Rights Day, December 10. This year’s Write for Rights runs from Dec. 4 to 12.

We thought your readers might be interested in the case of Filep Karma, who has already spent six years in prison for raising the Morning Star Flag at a peaceful demonstration. To take action on the case of Filep Karma and all of our Write for Rights cases, readers can visit: http://www.amnestyusa.org/writeathon There they’ll find case information, action suggestions, blog badges, a map of Write for Rights events across the United States, resources to help people organize their own events, letter-writing tips and more.

We’re also encouraging people to share blog posts about these cases and connect with other bloggers in support of Write for Rights by going to the Write for Rights event page on Bloggers Unite: http://www.bloggersunite.org/event/human-rights-day

Here at the Reading Amnesty International group in England, we are working for the release of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage:

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=11435&ArticleID=3314

Recently, in May 2009 it was the 4th anniversary of their conviction and we are trying to get as many people as possible to write to the President of Indonesia at the moment.

There has been some recent news that Yusak Pakage has been beaten while in jail and if you could help, please encourage any contacts you have, to send the letter below (or something like it) to the President to express their outrage.

If they have time, they could also send a copy to the following:

Mr Andi Mattalata
Minister of Justice & Human Rights
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav No. 4-5
Kuningan
Jakarta Selatan 12950
Indonesia

Mr Hendarman Supandji
Attorney General
Jl. Sultan Hasanuddin No.1
Kebayoran Baru
Jakarta Selatan 12130
Indonesia

Thanks for your help,

Sean O’Leary.

*********************************************
Dr. S. V. O’Leary,
J. J. Thomson Physical Laboratory,
PO Box 220,
Whiteknights,
Reading,
RG6 6AF.
United Kingdom.

e-mail: s.v.oleary@reading.ac.uk
Tel: +44 118 378 8576
FAX: +44 118 975 0203

**********************************************

The President of Indonesia
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Istana Merdeka
Jakarta 10110
Indonesia

July 2009

Dear Mr. President,

Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage

Convicted 26 May 2005

I write with increasing concern for prisoners of conscience Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage who were arrested in December 2004, convicted of treason on 26 May 2005 and sentenced to 15 and 10 years’ imprisonment respectively.

According to Amnesty International their ‘crime’ was that they had taken part in a peaceful political ceremony at which a Papuan independence flag was raised.

I was shocked to read recently that, again according to Amnesty International, Yusak Pakage was severely beaten by prison guards on 1 February, tearing one of his eyelids, an injury for which he is not known to have received any medical attention. He also had his glasses broken. Along with some other prisoners he was then moved to a tiny, windowless cell which, according to Filep Karma, was smeared with faeces. On 14 February Yusak, along with the other prisoners, was moved to the Sentani prison for drug offenders, in Jayapura.

Amnesty International considers that Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage are being detained in violation of their fundamental rights to freedom of expression, opinion and association.

I urge you to ensure their unconditional release without delay.

Thank you for your urgent attention to this matter and I look forward to your response.

Yours respectfully,

My plea to the international community and journo’s to preasure the Indonesian goverment to have access to indonesia (West Papua) to cover the on going Human rights violation in West Papua