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2005 John Humphrey Freedom Award Laureate's Canadian Tour Public Event with Yan Christian Warinussy (West Papua)

West Papua: Putting an End to 40 Years of Human Rights Abuses

Meet Yan Christian Warinussy, of West Papua Thursday, December 1, 7 pm to 8:30 pm

Vivian and David Campbell Conference Facility, Munk Centre for International Studies, 1 Devonshire Place, University of Toronto

Public Speaking Event organized by Rights & Democracy, the Asian Institute at the University of Toronto and Munk Centre for International Studies in collaboration with the Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives (Kairos)

Yan Christian Warinussy has been a dedicated human rights activist for more than fifteen years in West Papua, a territory under Indonesia's military control since 1963. Lawyer and Director of the Institute for Research, Analysing, and
Development of Legal Aid (LP3BH), Mr. Warinussy has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to shedding light on gross human rights violations in West Papua and defending people whose rights are ignored, despite repeated intimidation and threats to his personal safety. Mr. Warinussy is also a respected community leader, a role he has earned in part through his efforts to provide legal representation to those in West Papua's remote regions who would otherwise have none. For instance, Mr. Warinussy played a key role in the defence of Papuan's rights affected by a British Petroleum natural gas facility in Bintuni Bay. His untiring efforts for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in West Papua have made him a role model for members of the community and future generations. Confronted with summary executions, cases of torture, of sexual violence and massive appropriation of indigenous land by Indonesia's armed forces and multinational companies, Mr. Warinussy works tirelessly towards ending impunity.

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