World Premiere New West Papua Documentary
Monday, 22 June 2009, 5:07 pm
Press Release: West Papua Media Alerts

World Premiere New West Papua Documentary

A new documentary about West Papua will premiere on Al Jazeera English on July 2^nd . Al Jazeera English is the worlds third-largest broadcaster this film can be watched by 130 million homes in over 100 countries!

The film tells four personal stories of West Papuans struggle for freedom. Based on footage smuggled to Australia this film gives a new perspective on the human rights situation from areas in West Papua never seen on TV before.

The broadcast this year marks the 40^th anniversary of the Act of Free Choice. The Act of Free Choice was a sham referendum which Indonesia used to justify its claim over West Papua to the UN, America and the world.

Since then Indonesia has continued to suppress the voices of those West Papuans calling for an end to human rights abuses, independence and cultural freedom.

All the people that appear in this film have risked persecution for speaking out. However they want their stories to be told. Support them by telling your friends and tuning in to watch /Pride of Warriors/.

Film Title: /Pride of Warriors/

Broadcast Date: 2^nd July 2009

Programme: /Witness /http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/witness/)

Broadcaster: Al Jazeera English http://english.aljazeera.net/ )

Live streaming: http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/)

Al Jazeera is available free to air via satellite, cable and on the internet.

Director: Jono van Hest

Production Company: Rebel Films

Al Jazeera has bowed to Indonesian pressure not to screen the West Papua documentary Pride of Warriors. The film, which voiced West Papuan perspectives of the Indonesian military presence and human rights abuses, was due to be screen on Al Jazeera English channel on Thursday night at 6:30pm.

Melbourne film-makers documentary Pride of Warriors was scheduled to screen on Al Jazeera English channel Thursday night at 6:30pm. In cooperation with the 3rd largest English television broadcasters, the film had been made to uncover secret human rights abuses in the Indonesian Province of West Papua. It appears that the channel bowed to pressure from the Indonesian Government and removed the documentary hours before it was due to be aired.

The film, which is said to have been made by smuggling 6 cameras into the province where foreign media access is severely restricted, voiced West Papuan perspectives of the Indonesian military presence and human rights abuses. Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson told the Jakarta post Teuku Faizasyah that the film was sensational and one sided and violated the principles of journalism. While claiming that he was not aware of the screening being canceled, it is clear that the Indonesian government has exerted significant pressure on Al Jazeera to prohibit the film being screened to a worldwide audience.

This censorship shreds any legitimacy of the governments claim of democracy and freedom in West Papua, when journalists are forbidden to enter or report on such claims. Desperate measures such as this to cover up for human rights abuses showing how widespread such abuses really are. Standover tactics against foreign media such as this demonstrate how desperately media stories from West Papua must get out to the world.

If Indonesia is able to exert such control over foreign media outlets with impunity, than it is a sad day for press freedom, and a success for their attempt to vanish the truth about the situation in West Papua along with the West Papuan people. However if a protest against their censorship spreads on the net, their tactics will be revealed and come back to bite them.

Please spread widely and encourage Al Jazeera to re-schedule the film at:
http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/Comments/SuggestTopic.aspx

that's just sad