[Kabar-indonesia] Age: Papuan Asylum Seeker: Visa Refusal Was Political [+Jakarta: 'No comment']

[JoyoNews at aol.com]

also: The Australian: Jakarta 'no comment' on visa case

The Age (Melbourne)
Thursday, August 3, 2006

Papuan asylum seeker says visa refusal was political

by Andra Jackson

A PAPUAN asylum seeker whose visa refusal has been overturned says 
he believes the refusal was made on political grounds to appease Indonesia.

"It was like an international bargain," said David Wainggai, 28, the only one 
of 43 Papuan asylum seekers not granted a temporary protection visa in 
March.

Speaking from the Christmas Island detention centre where he has been 
held since January 19, he said he was happy with the Refugee Review 
Tribunal's decision overturning the Immigration Department's refusal to 
grant him protection.

"Everyone has congratulated me. The news has spread very fast in this 
place. Even the hospital knows," he said.

Mr Wainggai is confident he will get a visa, "even if she (Immigration 
Minister Amanda Vanstone) refuses it, the minister has to send the 
case back to the RRT and the RRT will just say the same thing again.

"I can be patient for this last decision," he said. He hoped to come 
to Melbourne, where 10 members of his family live.

Senator Vanstone will study the the tribunal's decision.

Mr Wainggai said his claim for protection was as strong as the other 
42 , the only difference was that "maybe they (Immigration) thought 
I can have a chance to live in Japan, but there was no chance without 
a valid passport.

"When I heard my visa application was rejected, I was very afraid. 
I thought they were bringing me back to Indonesia.

"That really scared me. I couldn't sleep for two weeks."

Mr Wainggai said he would have been in danger if he had been 
returned to Papua.

"I always feel under threat in West Papua, and my aunt and 
uncle tell me to watch out because my father is the founder 
of the independence movement -- Thomas Wainggai who died 
in Indonesian custody."

Mr Wainggai said he had to hide his true identity and make out 
his uncle had found him abandoned as a baby in the undergrowth.

He said the boat carrying the 43 asylum seekers from the north 
of Papua in January almost didn't make it, after he was taken in 
custody by Indonesian police at the start of the journey.

The asylum seekers pulled in at the island of Sorong and attended 
church but the islanders, suspecting the strangers might be terrorists, 
called police.

The group fled but Mr Wainggai was caught and questioned for two 
hours.

"They took my identification papers. They even asked about the boat 
and who built it," he said. Suspicion was averted when "we said we 
came for a traditional festival".

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The Australian
Thursday, August 3, 2006

Jakarta 'no comment' on visa case

by Cath Hart 

THE decision to grant a protection visa to the last of 43 Papuans who arrived 
in Australia by boat in January appears unlikely to reignite diplomatic 
tensions with Jakarta.

Indonesian embassy officials said yesterday the country would not comment on 
the decision and would focus on "serious issues" in the relationship with 
Australia. 

On Monday, the Refugee Review Tribunal ruled that David Wainggai, a Papuan 
independence activist, should receive protection from Australia. Mr Wainggai and 
42 other Papuans arrived in Australian waters in an outrigger canoe in 
January. 

A diplomatic furore between Jakarta and Canberra erupted after Australia 
issued 42 members of the group with protection visas. Tensions peaked when Jakarta 
recalled its ambassador from Canberra. 

Mr Wainggai's application for a protection visa was initially rejected 
because he held a visitor's visa to Japan. 

That ruling was overturned by the tribunal, but instead of sparking another 
war of words, Jakarta has been decidedly quiet on the decision. 

Indonesian embassy spokesman Dino Kusnadi said yesterday Jakarta would remain 
silent on the decision.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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