West Papua

West Papua: Papuans greet UN envoy with rallies, demands

Hundreds of Papuans rallied on June 8 during a one-day visit by Hina Jilani, the UN secretary general聮s special representative on human rights defenders. In Jayapura, capital of Papua province, protesters welcomed Jilani while others called on her to 聯stop the genocide of the Papuans聰 and 聯stop the killing in West Papua聰. In Manokwari, capital of the province of West Papua, protesters called on the UN to pressure Jakarta to overturn the 1969 referendum that resulted in the territory聮s incorporation into Indonesia.

Music for West Papuan freedom

Merdeka: Artists from around the world unit in support of the independence movement in West Papua
Dancing Turtle Records, 2007
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West Papua - calling it a betrayal would be too generous

February 23 marked the deadline for submissions to the federal parliament鈥檚 Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCT) on the new Australia-Indonesia 鈥渟ecurity鈥 pact. If there is any uncertainty about the hypocrisy that underlies Australia鈥檚 neo-colonial foreign policy, then this treaty 鈥 a 鈥渕ending the fences鈥 exercise after the federal government granted asylum to 43 pro-independence West Papuan refugees in 2006, and, before that, Canberra鈥檚 reluctant 1999 intervention in East Timor 鈥 should end it.

Violence continues in West Papua

A January 19 press statement by the Pacific Concerns Resource Centre condemned Indonesian military operations in the Central Highlands (Puncak Jaya) region, which have forced thousands of locals to flee to the bush. The operation follows the killing of two military personnel near Mulia in December, which the military has blamed on the Free Papua Movement (OPM). The PCRC鈥檚 Rex Rumakiek said that 鈥渢he response is again no different from operations in previous years. Instead of the police working with tribal leaders, churches and NGOs to find those responsible, a full military operation is the Indonesian army鈥檚 choice of action.鈥 Rumakiek called on the Australian government to send a fact finding mission to West Papua before finalising its bilateral treaty with Indonesia. 鈥淎ny treaty including the exchange and acceptance of aid in any form with Indonesia at the present time is shameful and must be condemned outright.鈥

WEST PAPUA: Papuans 'marginalised in our own country'

There was little doubt about what feelings dwell in the heart of Negro Alpius Kogoyo, head of the Lani tribe of Mimika and commander of the Peoples Opposed to the Division of Papua.