Papuans enter Australian High Commission

All these persons are members of the Australian Papuan Community www.angelfire.com/jazz/sony/APC.htm

Sequences of events:

9.45am All 14 of us entered the Australian High Commission and assembled inside the foyer of the building. Contact sent email to Media advising them.

10.00am handed the asylum-seeking note to the Papuan receptionist

10.15am DFAT and Federal Police Officer standing at Security section, reading the note and observing us

10.45am Peter Holmes (Principal Migration Officer), Matt Anderson and one other, came over to where we were all sitting at the benches near all the State flag and ask me to go with them to the interview room in the Visa section. I was asked what was our agenda. I stated we were seeking asylum in Australian High Commission premises because it is legally Australian soil and because we were Australian citizens by birth and virtue of our parents birthright. We were told that they didn’t have authority and they would contact Canberra about it. We said we not going to leave on principle until we got an answer from Australian Government.

11.00am Visiting students from Queensland University took photos of us in the building foyer holding the Papua flag and with our T-Shirts with Papua flag and the words “Papuan by birth- Australian by law” and “Australia, Papua is part of you by law- Papua the seventh State of Australia. One of the male student noted that the Papua flag had the union jack and was similar to the founding States and started counting them and comparing them to the Papua flag.

11.15am Australian High Commissioner Mr. Michael Potts set an email to all the staff of the High Commission advising of our presence and temporarily closing the Australian High Commission. I SMS Shane McLeod of Australian Broadcasting Commission, Charles Stevens of Australian Associated Press and William Natera of Wantok

12.30pm Noticed Shane McLeod and Charles Stevens but no PNG press in the Australian High Commission car park. As they were press they were not allowed to come and talk to us. We communicated via SMS.

1.30pm Australian High Commissioner - Mr. Michael Potts, Principal Migration Officer - Mr. Peter Holmes, Matt Anderson and one other met us again in the foyer and advised me that Canberra had rejected our request for asylum. I told him that we wanted that in writing and we were not moving until we got that. He then told me that Canberra had authorized the PNG Police to come and remove us and he was not responsible for our safety.

3.15am Australian High Commissioner Mr. Michael Potts and advised us that Mr. Tony Wagambie, NCD/Central Police Commander and Assistant Commissioner of Police was coming to see us and would be removing us and again he would not be responsible for our safety. I said that on principle we were not going to move until we got our written answer from Canberra.

4.10pm Mr. Tony Wagambie and two members of the Police Diplomatic Protection Unit arrives and are met by Peter Holmes and one other and was led them inside he Australian High Commission premises to the Australian High Commissioner Mr. Michael Potts.

4.15am Mr. Tony Wagambie and two members of the Police Diplomatic Protection Unit met us in the building foyer were we had been since we entered the Australian High Commission building and told us to leave. I told him that I respected his position and that he had a duty to do, but we asked him to respect our rights and our principles and that we had come into the building peacefully and had not damaged any property or injured or threatened any one. He continued to insisted that we moved and when we continued our quiet sit in, he got upset and threatened us, saying that he was contacting his men and they would come and physically move us and he would not guarantee our safety. He then left and went ! to the car park outside the Australian High Commission premises and started calling his men.

4.30pm a blue Toyota Coaster bus with Ten Policemen turn up and parked in the car park. Mr. Wagambie giving instruction to them.

4.45pm I made the decision for us to leave the premises and go and meet the Police outside the Australian High Commission premises as they could not come into the premises which is legally Australian soil and they did not have any jurisdiction on Australian soil. We had sought asylum therefore were legally covered by the International Refugee Convention and Human Rights laws and Australia which is a signatory to this Conventions had rejected our asylum claims and was threatening us. I decide to go out and met the Police in front of the Media so that we could be physically assaulted, so that the whole world would know that Australia had rejected our asylum and we were assaulted on their doorstep. H! owever Mr. Tony Wagambie was advised by the Australian High Commissioner not to assault us or charge us and to let us g with a caution, as assaulting us and charging us would blow the issue, which they are deliberately trying suppress and this would be an embarrassment to Australia and PNG.

5.00pm Went to Gordons Police Station, cautioned, told we are blacklisted to go to the Australian High Commission and sent home.

Questions:

If all 14 of us were terrorist, what would be the outcome?

Australia has just spent Millions of dollar on security and has just sent its experts to boost the PNG security and intelligence, so why didn’t the PNG or Australian intelligence know?

Why was there a serious lax in the security of the Australian High Commission?

How did 14 Papuans get into the Australian High Commission undetected when they had flags and clear T-Shirts highlighting their issue?

How come these 14 Papuans never signed the entry book at the security checkpoint?

Why didn’t the surveillance camera spot a large group of Papuans converging onto the Australian High Commission?

What would have happened in the seven (7) hours that these 14 Papuans were inside the building, if they had other intention and motives?

The PNG Police and the Australian Intelligence are trying say that they had successfully handled the situation, however they failed miserably to prevent it in the first place. They would not be claiming success if we were terrorist!

We had entered the premises peacefully and this was the first type in the history of the South Pacific. We made our point to highlight our issue, that we are still legally Australian citizen and have not legally renounced our birthright and cannot legally be PNG citizens.

The only PNG citizens are;

the New Guineans born before16th September 1975 (independence) because they were German subjects and became United Nations protected persons, so they would become Stateless after Germany lost their colony of German New Guinea. They didn’t have a legal citizenship and this legal void was filled when the country and citizenship came into existence on 16th September 1975, when the Australian Territory of Papua and former German colony of New Guinea united to be Papua New Guinea. the children born in PNG after 16th September 1975 Naturalized citizens

Government, law or policy cannot strip a citizenship by birth. The only person who can take your birthright is you, by renouncing it. The act of Independence doesn’t revoke a Papuans birthright.

Australian must take the plights of these Papuans who were legally born Australian citizens seriously. Australia needs Papua for its security and Papua needs Australia for its economical growth. It would not be in Australia’s best interest if these Papuans who have become Stateless to seek assistance elsewhere because we are denied the choice to decide our birthright.

Jonathan Jay Baure
Australian Papuan Community
PO Box 1052 Port Moresby
Mobile: 6878 446
Email: jingarj3@yahoo.com.au

Web site: www.angelfire.com/jazz/sony/APC/htm

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Oro Report

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Report Update

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Alotau Report

As some of you were aware I was in Alotau, for 12 days from the 8 –20th July 2004 and the trip was a success. Alotau is on fire. Alotau has set up their Interim Committee and sent a letter of support to the Australian High Commission and are Campaigning and planning for my next trip back to Milne Bay Province.

Just to explain the importance of taking the issue to the many Papuans who live in the rural areas, and other provinces. Firstly like many of us who had never knew that we were born Australian citizens and so many of the Papuans in these areas also don’t know this fact. It is important that these Papuans are educated and made aware about their Australian birth citizenship, as when we ask them to register and sign a petition we are legally covered.

The strategy is that first we make awareness campaign throughout Papua, then we call for the registration, then we all sign a petition and make a simultaneous presentation all across Papua, e.g. Port Moresby, Sogeri, Kwikila, Kupiano,Malalaua, Kerema, Samari, Alotau, Popondetta, Tufi, Tabubil, Daru and parts of the Southern Highlands (last Papua).

This is because we don’t want Australia to assume that it is only the Papuans in Port Moresby but all the Papuans in the Papua. We have to present unity in the whole issue, for Australia to take serious notice about us.

Prior to this campaign the original Citizenship Act was not available on the Internet, but since this campaign started it has appeared. To date there has been change in the attitude of the Australian Government in regards to the Citizenship Act, due to pressure from this campaign.

Appearing on Post Courier on Friday 9th July 2004, page 5 "Citizenship Act changes" about a speech by the Australian Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural – Mr. Gary Hardgrave outlining planned proposal to change the 55-year-old Citizenship Act.

It has also come to my attention that the Australian High Commission is inquiring about my whereabouts and wanting to speak to me. Obviously they are feeling the pressure due to the issue becoming more known.

My court case has been deferred as I sent the wrong application down to the Federal court. On the 30th June 2004 (my court date), I received a letter from the Federal court advising me that I had sent the wrong application and they attached the correct application. My lawyer was totally surprised because in the 12 history of her dealings with the Federal court, she has never heard about the federal courts doing that. They must be under pressure.

Many people have asked how long it how takes! It really depends on you. The more people get involved and push the issue, the more pressure and serious Australia will take this issue.

Anyway moving on, there will be an updated meeting at the Central Works Department on Thursday 28th July 2004 at 12.00pm (Australian time). Saturday 30th July 2004, there will be a awareness rally at Dela Sale High School field 12.00pm (Australian time) and at Pari on Sunday 31st July 2004.

We had a fundraising discussion gathering on Saturday 23rd July 2004 at Gordons opposite the Boroko Food world (Lot 65) and we decide to arrange a walk-a-ton as initial fundraiser.

We have also talked about the awareness team getting assistance from persons with vehicle to drive us to get wood so we can chop to sell as firewood for the teams day-to-day bus fare. Gomara Kunia and Lydia Abaijah are in charge of finding out about dance venues.

Next meeting to talk about fundraising activities, will be on the 7th August 2004, please all attend.

I had an awareness talk at Bomana Training College on Sunday 24th July 2004 and have being asked to return there later.

Ongoing actives, I will send two teams to Malalaua, Gulf Province on the 8th August 2004.

Team A (3 Members) will be walking along the coast passing ten villages to Kerema, where I will met them for a awareness rally on the Saturday 21st August 2004. Team B (3 members) will travel back from Morveave to Bereina and the Mekeo areas. I will meet them at Bereina on Saturday 28th August 2004 for a rally there.

I am appealing for funds to send the team and also for those who know some who could assist transport and accommodate them in these areas. If all Australian Papuans can contribute K10-20 this would cover for the trip. There is team of 3 members to assist each other if one gets sick of the need to separate to cover two or three village at the same time.

It is more effective for the team to cover the little areas, so I only need to go to one rally in the major centers. We have also noticed the many people have heard about the issue through third and fourth persons and are misinformed about the issue, so it important we need to correct and reinforce the knowledge so we are legally protected in our petition.

I have also noted many Australian Papuans have taken copies of the laws, policies and explanation but are not distributing them. It takes a lot of time and effort to copy and we don’t have any office to continue to photocopy so please assist in this area. It is also amazing how many other Papuans in Port Moresby have not heard about this issue. I challenge you to talk to at least two different Papuans a week to get this information quicker.

I like to thank Fank Kondolo of Air Niugini alotau for the contribution of a little amplifier, for me to use at rallies, and Wilfred Solien of Air Niugini Pom for the mobile phone, which I had to get a sim card.

I thank all of those who continue to assist and show support.

Well thank you for your time and until the next report - its goodbye- Alotau style.

Jonathan Jay Baure

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Hey Australians

This is an advise to you that there will be a gathering at Gordons opposite the Boroko Foodworld and Bridgestone at 11.30am on Saturday 26th June 2004. This is to work out ideas to fundraise to assist the ongoing campaign on the rights of recognition of Papuans born Australian citizens.

I also asking for those who can help me support myself for my day to day busfare, bybuying lollies, chocolate biscuit and other little items that I can sell at home to suppliment my busfare. Please when you attend this gathering please bring some biscuits, bread or cordial that we can all share together as we Papuans do and bring a friend along who hasn't heard the explainion of the issue as will be doing a awareness workshop.

Many thanks

Jonathan Baure

Awareness Teams report

- Wednesday 23rd June 2004

Hey Australian Papuans, this is the Awareness Team's report to date [Wednesday 23rd June 2004]

After the long weekend ending on Monday 14th June 2004, I was given some tickets for the Origins of Milne Bay - Dance party to be held at the Warehouse on Thursday 17th June 2004 by Ms Linda Abaijah of Lot 60 to sell to assist the awareness team in funds for our awareness activities, unfortunately because of short notice, we were only able to sell one.

Today Wednesday 23rd June 2004, we will held a awareness workshop with the Teachers at Kilakila Community School from 10.00 am to 12.00pm.

This Thursday 24th June 2004, the staff of the Port Moresby General Hospital with assistance from the medical faculty, the dentist and the red cross will be hosting a awareness workshop to be held during their lunch hour - 12:00, at the grounds of the nursing training center opposite the General Hospital old car park [the road that goes to the dentist and medical faculty and the shortcut foot path that leads to the labor ward]. If you are around that area, you are most welcome to attend.

In the evening, we will be holding an awareness rally at Taikone village, with people from the surrounding areas attending

This Saturday 26th June 2004, at 11.30 am [Australian Papuan time] there will a gathering at Gordon's, at the vacant area opposite the Boroko Food world and Bridgestone Tyre. The gathering is to look at ways to fundraise money to assist the ongoing activities of the awareness team and also to use this opportunity to meet and network with other Australian Papuan who are involved in the issue. Please bring some bread, biscuits, cordial, etc that we can share as we Papuans are known to do at gatherings. I will also run a small awareness workshop there so bring your friends.

I have been advised by the Interim committee that IPA has approved the initial "intention to register" our foundation and we now to advise to advertise in the newspapers, so they are raising fund to advertise.

I had sent my application for an injunction to the Federal Court on Wednesday 16th June 2004, as my court case is on Wednesday 30th June 2004 in Sydney. Dept of Immigration has indicated that they will challenge the injunction. If the injunction is successful then I will be escorted by Australian Immigration to Sydney and return after court, but if injunction is ongoing then, the June 30th case deferred, until injunction sorted out.

I wish to acknowledge the continuous support from Ms Linda Abaijah for advice, money, transport and phone use. Mr. Stuart Fancy for photocopy use, telephone, Internet, loan of generator and extension cord for Waigani rally and packets of bubblegum to sell. Mr. Wansima Maxso & the guy's at the Papuan office at the Central Works for bus fare, advise and use of office. Mr. Boga Helalo of Barakau for the arrangement to met Bishop Renagi [United Church].

A very special thanks to Mr. Chris Sariman, brothers & family and the guy's at Habours Board for continuous support, finances, transportant, phone, internet and for the very generous loan of Chris's laptop computer for me to use at home.

I would like very much encourage all you Australian Papuans to put all your efforts to support and push this issue, because we are the only people who have the legal right to claim our birth right Australian citizenship, our children or grandchildren can not. If we die then they will never be able to claim this right. We have to act now, before it's too late.

Again many thanks to all countrymen & women

Bamahuta & see ya

Jonathan Jay Baure – Awareness Campaigner.

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