Analysis & Opinion

Papuan People need not be afraid to talk about Merdeka (Independence)
(translation courtesy of Tapol, comments via West Papua Media Alerts

Bintang Papua,6 January 2011
Biak

A human rights lawyer and advocate has reminded the Papuan people that they needn’t be afraid to talk about independence for Papua because independence for Papua is a basic human rights that is legally recognised and can be fought for by legal, democratic and political means. ‘I say this because the 1945 Constitution guarantees these rights,’ said Yan Christian Warinussy, executive-director of LP3BH-Manokwari.

Why Now? A West Papua Backgrounder
By: Jim Elmslie
Source: New Matilda

NM has kept a close eye on West Papua as pressure in the breakaway Indonesian province builds. Long-time Papua watcher Jim Elmslie explains why the situation has escalated - and may get worse in coming months

Two seminal events have shattered the uneasy status quo in West Papua: a labour strike at the Freeport mine, and the declaration of an independent West Papua at a landmark mass meeting of Papuan nationalists, the Third Papuan Congress.

RAKYAT PAPUA TERUS MERAPATKAN BARISAN PERLAWANAN: Wawancara dengan Victor Yeimo
Sumber: Kontinum: Jurnal Antiotoritarian Online

Bagi kami, masalah di Papua adalah permasalahan tentang kejahatan negara dan korporasi, kekerasan militer, perusakan alam, genosida dan pemusnahan kultur setempat. Isu Papua juga menjadi isu nasional di Indonesia yang tidak kunjung selesai. Banyak masyarakat asli (indigenous people) dibunuh dan disiksa, untuk memapankan pengerukan kekayaan alam tanah Papua oleh perusahaan-perusahaan raksasa dunia bersama sekutu terdekatnya: pemerintah.

[This Interview with Papuan activist Victor Yeimo was published on the Kontinum website, because of a feeling that little information and perspectives from the Papuan struggle is available in Indonesia, and so people outside Papua are not aware of the what is actually going on there. The original, in Indonesian, can be found at http://kontinum.org/2011/08/wawancara_victor_papua

KOMITE NASIONAL PAPUA BARAT [KNPB]
West Papua National Committee
================================
Press Release
July 15, 2011

We want to explain to the people of West Papua, Indonesia and the International for any militarism approach and various propaganda news continuously carried out by a militaristic regime of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, through the Regional Commander, Chief of Police and the various ranks of the nation's ongoing struggle to corner of West Papua, that:

OPINI:
KETIDAKADILAN DAN KEPALSUAN SEJARAH INTEGRASI PAPUA KE DALAM WILAYAH INDONESIA MELALUI PEPERA 1969
Oleh Pendeta Socratez Sofyan Yoman

Sydney Morning Herald

Australia must make a stand for West Papua
Charlie Hill-Smith
December 10, 2010

As YouTube evidence of Indonesian soldiers burning the genitals of the West Papuan Tunaliwor Kiwo received its 50,000th viewer, the Indonesian military (TNI) was exposed holding a cynical mock trial to try to cover up systemic violence.

The ignored Papuan war on PNG’s border
by: Arthur Williams

Source: asopa.typepad.com

“Every day planes come in, vomiting migrants” - West Papuan eyewitness

I HAVE WATCHED the West Papua story for many years but especially since Epel Tito lost the Defence Ministry when he named Indonesia as PNG’s most likely future enemy. He’d also said he was ashamed at the treatment of the Melanesian people by their own government in Jakarta with its transmigration (now called in-migration) policy of swamping PNG’s brothers and sisters with non-Melanesians.

He said he was also ashamed with the lack of support for West Papuan independence by PNG, the biggest Melanesian nation, which shares a common border with the Indonesia colony. Only tiny Vunuatu had the balls to stand up for these unhappy people.

Journalist's death overshadows launch of Papua food project
Press Release by TAPOL and DTE

11 August 2010 - The death of a local journalist has increased concerns about a giant food estate launched today in Merauke, Southeastern Papua by Indonesia's Minister of Agriculture.

TAPOL and Down to Earth, the International Campaign for Ecological Justice in Indonesia are calling for a moratorium on the food project, known as MIFEE (Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate) until independent assessments of the political, economic, socio-cultural, environmental and gender impacts of the project have been undertaken.

The suspicious death of the journalist, Ardiansyah Matra'is, in late July, following threats against him, has been linked to his coverage of this week's local elections for the district head in Merauke.

TAPOL press release, 9 July 2010

Dialogue a must for Papua

Papua is in a state of heightened tension following a series of events that culminated in a mass rally yesterday by thousands of Papuans at the provincial parliament, the DPRP, in Jayapura.

The demonstration and similar actions in other locations across the territory were intended to increase pressure on the DPRP to support a recommendation by the Papuan People's Assembly, the MRP, to 'return' Papua's 2001 special autonomy law to the central government in Jakarta.