I had a bit of fun last week with the Australian/Indonesian cartoon war, perhaps the underlying issue needs to be dealt with now.
The cartoon war was triggered by Australia giving temporary refuge to a group of West Papuan boat people. The reaction of the Indonesians to the Australian moves underscores their concern over a continuing push for West Papuan independence.
The unrest stems back to 1952, when the Netherlands recognised Papuan self-determination as a right in accordance with Article 73 of the Charter of the United Nations, and began preparing the nation for independence.
The territory was given a governor and an administration of its own, directly under the Hague. Had not Indonesia interfered, West Papua would have achieved self-determination by 1970.
Indonesia claimed the territory on the basis that New Guinea formed part of the colonial territory of the Dutch East Indies. Between 1954 and 1960, West New Guinea was an annual issue for discussion at the UN General Assembly.
But it was one of those backroom deals between nations which saw Papua absorbed fully into Indonesian control. That control has never sat well with the people of the province.
Where is it?
West Papua, the western half of the New Guinea island, termed "Irian Jaya province", or, more
recently, "Papua" under Indonesian control, is just under five times the size of the island of Ireland, and is immense in its tribal and ecological diversity. It has some 240 different tribal peoples, each with its own language and culture. Indigenous Papuans in West Papua and Papua New Guinea speak some 15% of the world's known languages. West Papua together with the rest of the island of New Guinea, are the lungs of the Asia-Pacific, containing the last great surviving virgin rainforest after the Amazon.
You can find out more from:
West Papuan Action
Papua Press Agency
West Papua Information Kit
WEST PAPUA HOMEPAGE
There are many more Internet sources about West Papua. Independence is critical issue for these people. Have a look around and offer your support for their aim of self determination.
recently, "Papua" under Indonesian control, is just under five times the size of the 
3 comments:
Thankyou for such a very well researched account of West Papuan rights to have a vote over their political status.
Indonesia's President FBY (his nickname) has recalled his Australian ambassador, cancelled military training exercises and planned talks on people smuggling in protest at 42 of 43 West Papuan boat people receiving Temporary Protection Visas.
There has been a riot today at the Australian embassy in Jakarta and importers in Indonesia are calling for a boycott of Australian goods.
The leaders of the ruling Liberal Party and the Australian Labor Party have both stated that West Papua is part and parcel of Indonesia, and that the issue is very different from East Timor.
And yet the Greens and the Left have already organised protests in support of West Papuan rights to political self-determination, and of course will do so into the future.
This is a very interesting issue, it goes a bit further than even the cartoon war, as you imply in your article. Unlike Canada, Australia gave plenty of support to Indonesia's occupation of East Timor prior to that country's referendum on independence.
Even though each country's circumstances are different, I think that it's well established there are human rights abuses going on in West Papua - even from the US State Department - and the people there deserve a vote as well.
Thanks for the informative links. You have a very well-developed blog that's a pleasure to read.
The Indonesian government is totally repulsive.
Hypocrite Howard pretends to care about 'democracy in Iraq' and if Papua had oil he would care about democracy there too.
The Indonesian government makes me sick. General Wiranto. Balibo journalists murdered. Massacre in Dili. Murdering priests and nuns in Aceh (because they were teaching people to READ - Very threatening to have the populace reading).
Of course the military numbers in Indonesia exceed the population of Australia so they are our 'schoolyard bully'.
Thanks for your great comments. We are trying to get this thing on the radar over this side of the world, so I will probably follow up fairly frequently.
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