West Papuans Cry For Help
The-Diplomat.Com
27 October 2011
Despite facing a
well-armed Indonesian Army, many West Papuans are determined to fight for a
greater say in their future. William Lloyd George travels to the jungles of
West Papua to meet the rebels.
Last week, thousands of natives gathered in West Papua to
attend a congress to mark 50 years since Papuan people declared their
independence. It was meant to be a peaceful meeting, but on the last day, to
the surprise of the security forces waiting outside, several Papuan leaders
read out a declaration calling for the independence of West Papua from
Indonesia, raised their forbidden national flag, and installed a symbolic
government.
Half way into the declaration the police stormed the
congress in attempt to break up the meeting. The unarmed attendees fought back.
While the number killed in the clash is yet to be confirmed, it is reported to
be at least half a dozen. Dead bodies have been found scattered around the
island. Some behind the police barracks, others in ditches. Hundreds were
injured, and some are still missing.
In response to accusations of a heavy handed response, the
island’s police chief said,‘The reason we broke in was because the Congress
violated the permit. The permit was only to talk about the basic rights of
Papuans.’
Human rights groups around the world were quick to chime in
with criticism for the police response. Speaking over a crackly line, a West
Papuan activist who wished to remain anonymous told The Diplomat: ‘We were just
discussing our rights in a non-violent way, there was no reason to storm in
like that, it was terrifying…All we want is our land back.’
The activist is referring to the inclusion of West Papua
under Indonesia sovereignty. Although Indonesia gained independence in 1949,
the Dutch government kept control over West Papua until 1961. Keen to get his
hands on the resource rich region, Indonesia’s first President, Sukarno, made
repeated attempts through the United Nations to gain ownership. Frustrated with
a lack of progress, Indonesia deployed tens of thousands of armed troops to
take the western half of New Guinea Island by force.
The Kennedy administration, keen to avoid confrontation and
the loss of another Asian country to communism, brokered the New York Agreement
between the Dutch and Jakarta in 1962.The agreement transferred control of the
colony to Indonesia on the condition it committed to hold a referendum on
independence, to be called the ‘Act of Free Choice.’
In 1969, 1,025 handpicked Papuans – out of a population of
over 1 million – were chosen for the vote. These ‘representatives’ unanimously
chose for West Papua to remain within Indonesian sovereignty. Amid allegations
of threats to voters, a British Foreign and Commonwealth Office briefing that year
found ‘the process of consultation did not allow a genuinely free choice to be
made,’ while the US ambassador to Indonesia said, ’95 percent of indigenous
Papuans wanted to have freedom.’
Across West Papua, the Act was seen as a complete sham,
fuelling protests and inspiring parts of the population to take up arms. The
Indonesian military launched widespread campaigns to quell dissent. Thousands
of refugees fled the country and members of the resistance set up armed groups
deep in the jungle, where they remain today still fighting for independence.
Foreign journalists are rarely granted permission to visit
West Papua, and if they are, the trip is heavily restricted. Having arrived in
Jayapura, the largest city on the island, I am whisked to the coast and into a
boat. I am traveling to meet the rebels, but to avoid detection we take a
lengthy boat trip along Papua’s pristine coastline.
Photo Credit: KC Ortiz
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