Audryn Karma with Eben Kirksey at the White House, 11.12.11
What an amazing few days it's been for the Filep Karma case. As I write, President Obama is in Bali, Indonesia, and surely has a briefcase full of calls for the immediate release of Filep. The UN has just responded to a petition filed by Freedom Now which states: "[the] United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has issued its opinion that the Government of Indonesia is in violation of international law by detaining Filep Karma." In August, 26 members of the House of Representatives wrote to Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) demanding Filep's immediate and unconditional release. And in anticipation of Obama's visit, Indonesian newspapers have been filled with stories about the possible human rights issues that he might raise with SBY. Amnesty's Indonesia researcher in London, Josef Benedict, commented on Obama's visit in an article for the Sydney Morning Herald.
But there's more! Into this perfect storm steps the intrepid Audryn Karma, Filep's oldest daughter. Audryn made her first trip outside Indonesia to attend Amnesty's Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference. She also was able to visit with Members of Congress and their staff, including a major supporter of Papuan human rights initiatives, Representative Eni Faleomavaega (American Samoa), and with officials at the State Department.
Amnesty activists first met Audryn at the amazing and energetic White House rally on Saturday. Four bus-loads of attendees left the conference and headed for the rally around noon. In an ever-widening circle of people at Lafayette Park, Audryn heard cries of "Free Filep Karma!" She was called to the bullhorn and introduced as Filep's daughter, to the cries and applause of the crowd. Although she worried about her English, Audryn didn't stumble as she explained that she had come to ask for her father's freedom.
