Message of solidarity to Papernas

The Australian socialist youth organisation Resistance wants to express solidarity with our comrades in Indonesia attempting to hold the Papernas congress in the face of anti-democratic attacks. We condemn the complicity of the Indonesian authorities in this attempt to prevent the congress from proceeding, and urge the government and police to permit the participants to gather and hold the event. We recognise the importance of this event in formulating an alternative political program for the people of Indonesia, one based on social and economic justice. In solidarity, Resistance. To the Consul-General, The Australian socialist youth organisation Resistance wants to voice our concern regarding the attacks currently being carried out against the congress of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. We view the attacks on the congress, and the refusal of the Indonesian police force to grant the group the permit to hold their event, as an attack on the basic democratic rights of the Indonesian people to carry out a political discussion. Resistance urges the Indonesian government and police to permit the Papernas Congress to proceed, and indeed to help facilitate it by ensuring the safety of participants. Resistance comprises university students and other young people, and we will be encouraging other students and youth in Australia to stand up to defend the democratic rights of our friends in Indonesia.