Papua Jailings Anger Families Of Plane Five
The Age
Friday January 16, 2009
FRIENDS and family of five Australians sentenced to at least two years' jail for illegally landing a plane in Papua have lashed out in anger and disbelief.
Vera Scott-Bloxam, wife of the pilot who flew into the politically sensitive Indonesian province of Papua last September without proper travel documents, told journalists in the court: "I can't believe this."Mark Bousen, a friend of William and Vera Scott-Bloxam's, who has spoken to the five every week since they were detained, said he was furious about the decision."Until two weeks ago they had no idea that anything like this was going to happen and they are shocked," said Mr Bousen. "I'm so angry that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has been so ineffective."Vera Scott-Bloxam and fellow passengers Karen Burke, Hubert Hofer and Keith Mortimer, all aged between 51 and 60, were sentenced yesterday to two years' jail and fined 25 million rupiah ($3375) for violating Indonesia's immigration laws.William Scott-Bloxam was sentenced to three years' jail and fined 50 million rupiah for violating Indonesia's civil aviation law. His plane has also been confiscated.Burke's boyfriend, Bob Slaney, was the only supporter in the court. Other friends and family expressed disbelief from their homes in Cooktown and on Thursday Island.The group's lawyer, Efrem Fangohoy, said the Australians would appeal against the decision."They are all very unhappy and disappointed," he said. "We clearly reject this decision and we will go for an appeal."The five have maintained they flew from Horn Island to Merauke in the south of Papua, near the border with Papua New Guinea, in September to explore tourism opportunities.The Scott-Bloxams own a tourist lodge and a car hire business in Cooktown, as well as Cape Air Transport based on Horn Island. Hofer works for the Torres Strait Island Regional Council, where he is technical adviser for a desalination plant, Burke is a receptionist at Jardine Motel Resort on Thursday Island and Mortimer is a builder.They claim they were advised by a Christian missionary, Thomas Allen, that visas could be picked up on arrival, which happens in other parts of Indonesia such as Bali and Jakarta, but not in the politically sensitive Papua.Control over people movement in the province is strict and journalists and activists, in particular, have great difficulty obtaining visas to travel there.Victoria University's Richard Chauvel said the case for the five Australians had been complicated by the strained relationship between Australia and Indonesia on matters relating to Papua.Under former prime minister John Howard, Australia granted asylum to 42 refugees from Papua. The move prompted Indonesia to recall its ambassador.The case also took on a higher profile amid initial rumours the Australians might be spies, a claim rejected by friends and Indonesian officials.Even so, there have been some reports of an official investigation to verify the purpose of the group's trip."I think there's no doubt that Indonesia's Papuan sensitivities have exacerbated the response in this particular case," said Dr Chauvel, who is on a work trip in Indonesia.A DFAT spokesman said the Government understood the "distress of the Australians and their families".
© 2009 The Age
