Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

West Papuans push their cause at Stonehenge event

Posted at 02:01 on 22 June, 2009 UTC

A West Papuan dance troupe has used its performance at Stonehenge in Britain to highlight their people’s struggle for human rights in Indonesia’s Papua region.

Record crowds of 36,500 people descended on Stonehenge for Summer Solstice celebrations organised by the British Council of Druids who had invited the Mambesak troupe and West Papuan activist Benny Wenda as special guests.

The Times Online reports that Mambesak’s four semi-naked dancers performed routines through the night culminating in a performance at sunrise.

The West Papuans are in Britain to draw attention to what they claim is persecution by the Indonesian authorities in their own homeland.

The head of the British Council of Druids Archdruid, Rollo Maughfling, told the crowd about what he calls the terrible suffering of the Papuan people urging those present to become active in helping Papuans gain freedom from Indonesian rule.