West Papua
West Papua – Andy Alcock. The reason why the West Papuan just struggle is a forgotten war is that the Indonesian military (TNI) has virtually closed the place off from the outside world; just as it did in East Timor for most of the 24 years it occupied that country. Another reason is that the western backers of the Indonesian government do not want to upset the Indonesian government as there is money to be made out of West Papua’s resources for big corporations.
If Australians fly to Jakarta, they can apply for a visa when they arrive and have it issued on the spot. We know what
happens to those who fly to Jayapura (Hollandia), the capital of West Papua and expect the same treatment!. They will be
detained just a group of Australians was this year. The TNI does not want prying eyes to see how they treat peoples they
repress.
Recently, Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, called on Indonesians to help stamp out terrorism in the
Republic. It seems to me that if he is sincere about this, he needs to answer several searching questions.
What was he saying and doing about the terrorism and genocide committed by the Indonesian military in East
Timor, West Papua and Acheh while he was one of its senior generals?
Does his statement mean that he will bring to trial those TNI officers suspected of war crimes and human rights abuses
in the past including those who have links with terrorist groups?
If he considers that West Papua is truly part of the Indonesian Republic, will he spare its people further bloodshed and
suffering by withdrawing the terrorist TNI and allowing the people to have a properly conducted referendum, unlike the
the brutal farce of 1968; the so-called Act of Free Choice or the free choice to say yes to integration or be shot? This
needs to happen so that West Papuans can have a peaceful future?
Frequently, the TNI complains about certain organisations like the OPM in West Papua and GAM in Acheh as being
threats to Indonesia’s national security as well as being ungrateful to the Indonesian Republic. The fact is that it is the
corrupt and brutal behaviour of the TNI that has led to the formation of many independence groups in the region.
The TNI has to be seen as one of the major reasons for the political instability in the archipelago. Those who have recently
seen the film Balibo would appreciate this fact.
To bring peace and security to our region, the world community needs to stop all military cooperation with the TNI and put
pressure on the Indonesian government to deal with the war criminals in its ranks. Indonesia cannot claim to be a democratic
country until the TNI is subservient to the country’s elected government, the human rights violators in the TNI have faced justice and the huge amounts of money it has amassed through extortion, mass murder and corruption are spent on assisting the victims of its terrorism.
