Enough is enough: Indonesia's human rights abuses in West Papua

The people of West Papua have been fighting for independence ever since Indonesia invaded the territory in 1962 and subsequently (after years of international pressure) in 1969 conducted the sham 'referendum' of 1022 hand-picked collaborators to legitimise their occupation.

I do not express an opinion as to whether West Papua should be granted independence or not but simply that its people (a) be given the right to choose their fate democratically and (b) that the human rights violations and violence perpetrated by the Indonesian government against West Papuans cease immediately.

Leaving aside the issue of a free West Papuan state, the Indonesian government is not doing itself any favours if it is trying to convince Papuans that they are Indonesian. Decades of violence, rape, murder, political detention, forced disappearances, religious persecution, discrimination and racism are the only gifts Indonesia has ever given the resource-rich region, all the while filling Jakarta's pockets with mining money. Indonesia's treatment of Papua only encourages the independence movement.

The provinces of West Papua remain some of Indonesia's poorest and underdeveloped. Yet the region provides significant income to Jakarta.

Recently murders and other violence by the police and military have made headlines, even in Indonesia. In October police opened fire on hundreds of civilians at an independence rally because they declared independence from Indonesia.

I mean what kind of sick country has a police force that systematically kills and intimidates its own people? In response to the shooting of 2 police officers in early December, police attacked villages by burning down houses and churches! Even the National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia is beating round the bush. Deputy Chairperson Ridha Saleh was quoted as saying “The police should not be reckless or foolhardy. They must not act blindly, which can cause more casualties of regular people than perpetrators,”. OF COURSE THEY SHOULDN'T!! What a stupid response. They are violating basic human rights and burning down people's houses. He should be saying "the Indonesian government through its police force and military must be held accountable for their crimes against their own people!" , not "play nice now policemen".

It's interesting to note that Indonesia has carried out far more human rights abuses against its own people than the Dutch colonialists ever did - and it continues. Just look at the Indonesian Genocide of 1965-1966. Or the shooting of unarmed farmers in Jambi by police officers earlier this year. The government of Indonesia has NEVER apologised for committing human rights abuses. Not even after Suharto was kicked out in 1998. Even after the world was shocked at the riots that saw thousands of ethnic Chinese murdered and raped across Java in May 1998, the Indonesian government still refuses to officially acknowledge that it ever happened. This is in stark contrast to the Netherlands who yesterday issued a formal apology and compensation to the victims of the Rawagede massacre.

I feel sorry for West Papua. I can only hope that one day their voices are heard by the world community.