West Papuan Rainforest defender and land rights activist touring Aotearoa
National speaking tour: Septer Manufandu, West Papua: Tuesday, 27 May to Wednesday, 4 June 2008
Septer Manufandu is the leader of FOKER: the NGO Cooperation Forum in West Papua - the umbrella agency for 64 NGOs working for cultural and human rights in West Papua, which has partners internationally. He formerly worked for Yalhimo, the Humeibou Environment and Indigenous People Foundation, which has been involved in campaigns to protect indigenous land rights and to combat illegal logging.
Septer brings a first hand perspective on the devastation and suffering caused when tropical forests are logged for their valuable kwila wood. His visit comes at a time when the Ministry of Forestry is considering its policies concerning illegal logging and the import of kwila, and of growing public concern about deforestation and its impact on climate change.
Septer will be speaking at public meetings in Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and Whangarei, illustrating his talks with a documentary compilation 'Save the People and Forests of Papua' made by local NGOs. Indonesia closely restricts the visit of journalists and humanitarian workers to West Papua so this visit offers a window of information about a 'hidden' region which has been subject to massive human rights violations by the Indonesian Military. The speaking tour is hosted by the Indonesia Human Rights Committee and Pax Christi.
