Anti-RI rally hits Papua

JAYAPURA, Papua: About 500 Papuans in the Coalition of Civilians for Human Rights protested at the province's legislative council here on Wednesday to oppose the May 1, 1963 integration of their territory into Indonesia.

The integration violated Papuans' human rights, a spokesman for the group, Markus Haluk, said during the separatist rally involving religious and community figures.

"For the Indonesian government, May 1, 1963 was a victory as Papua joined the Unitary State of the Indonesian Republic. But for Papuans, it was a bad day because a human right abuses took place during the integration," he said. -- JP