Papua campaigner coming to grips with release

Transcript

Human Rights Watch says Filep Karma is still coming to terms with his release after 11 years in prison in which he became West Papua's most high profile political prisoner.

Filep Karma was yesterday freed from a prison on the outskirts of Jayapura, the capital of Indonesia's Papua province.

Karma was jailed for raising a pro-independence flag at a political ceremony in 2004.

Human Rights Watch's Indonesia spokesperson, Andreas Harsono, spoke to Karma this morning and says although his release was anticipated, it's still come as a bit of a shock.

ANDREAS HARSONO: He did not expect the release to be that fast. You can imagine if you stay in a house, in this case a prison for 11 years and suddenly you are asked to leave your house in the next 24 hours, he is mentally shocked but of course his family and himself they enjoy a good time, they had a family dinner last night, he also met with hundreds of Papuan activists, just commoners, common people who welcomed him. He is happy but at the same time he is weary because you know 11 years in prison and suddenly being released and he told me that he would like to take a break, he would like to cool himself down, to calm himself down, he needs time to re-integrate into his family, society, friends and dealing with other expectations that the people of Papua have on him becoming, you know their effective leader.

BRIDGET TUNNICLIFFE: Once he's taken some time to rest and recover do you think that he will continue to be outspoken?

AH: Well, knowing him for several years he is quite a stubborn man, I think he will be like what he is, he will be outspoken you know.

BT: Do you think that there might be a softening on part of the Indonesian government and we may see more people being released?

AH: Well I don't know but Human Rights Watch calls on the government to release all political prisoners. There are about 100 now because after May when President Joko Widodo released five prisoners, 14 more were arrested in Papua. In fact I just had a chat this morning with a top official in Jakarta, I told them that 'look this is very good to release Filep Karma but again there are still many others who are in jail because of their peaceful political activities and they should be released' and she offered me to meet with another high ranking very influential official in Jakarta to discuss again the list of names of people that should be released.