Here is the truth:
Indonesia only get 1% royalty from grasberg. It is true they are the largest taxpayer (17 trillion rupiah). But the whole state funds allocated for papua amounts to more than 30 trillion.
For each individual in java and sumatra, the govt allocate only $300 of state funds. While individual in papua get $1000, the highest of any province in indonesia.

@Daeron:

You can fantasize about your wet-dream scenario of getting help from ICJ. We Indonesians prefer to deal with facts and reality. Your delusion is a sign of your desparation.

@smayer:

Copying and pasting from the internet will not change the fact that West Papua will remain Indonesian.

@bowo88:

This is true, West Papua is only 1% of Indonesian GDP. In fact, the area is highly dependent on central govt subsidies.

Proud to be Indonesian

wrote:

>>@smayer:

Copying and pasting from the internet will not change the fact that West Papua will remain Indonesian.>>

I've no doubt it will. That was not my point.

I was simply pointing out that Indonesia could turn out to be quite a nasty - indeed threatening - neighbour for Australia. It could turn into a Jihadi state.

@smeyer:

If you read Indonesian history, you can see that Indonesia has successfully defeated serious Darul Islam insurgency back when Indonesia was a weak infant nation in 1950s, and Indonesian parliament has rejected attempts to insert Islamic law into the constitution when the country was in serious multi-dimensional crisis in 2002.

The actions of some fringe groups (akin to America's KKK) has no bearing on the overwhelming story of tolerance between the 800 ethnic-groups and six religions of Indonesia. Otherwise, the country would have collapsed a long time ago.

I doubt that many of the comments so far have added much to the clear, sane argument of the original author. She is to be congratulated for such a sensible piece of journalism.

"Indonesia" is a construct. Its language was more or less invented- I believe by Sukarno and others. What lands are or aren't in Indonesia is whatever suits the government of the day. We had Sukarno's "war' on Malaysia for a time. Tinpot dictators make war to suit their propaganda purposes.

The Indonesian Government human rights record is horrific. Look at the sorry tale of East Timor, with nuns raped, women men and kids herded into a church and set on fire, people shot on sight.

Come on Bob Carr: do something useful. Your record on the national stage hasn't been very impressive so far. Stand up for decent people and help the poor folk of West Papua.

Proud to be Indonesian wrote:

>>The actions of some fringe groups (akin to America's KKK) has no bearing on the overwhelming story of tolerance between the 800 ethnic-groups and six religions of Indonesia. Otherwise, the country would have collapsed a long time ago.>>

Maybe.

I hope you're right.

On the other hand what happened during the Sukarno era is about as reliable a guide to future course of Indonesia as what happened during the time of the Shah tells us about the future of Iran.

Iran was not a theocracy until, one day, it was.

The HRW report documents widespread and systematic discrimination against Ahmadiyya and other minorities and many of them appear to be officially sanctioned. It doesn't look like a fringe group. And, BTW, the KKK was not always a fringe group either.

Finally, I am always suspicious of countries that have "blasphemy" laws on the books. (Which date from the Sukarno era)

Bronte wrote:

>>Come on Bob Carr: do something useful.... help the poor folk of West Papua.>>

What exactly is Carr, the foreign minister of a small, geographically isolated and largely powerless nation supposed to do?