@ wre:

Read-up first abt West Papua before talking nonsense, otherwise you'll look like a fool.

Papuans voted unanimously to join Indonesia in a UN referendum in 1969. This decision is endorsed by UN General Assembly Resolution XXIV.

The referendum itself was supervised by the UN, according to the New York Agreement of 1963 between Republic of Indonesia and Kingdom of Netherlands, legalised as UN Resolution 2504.

Papua's is LEGALLY and UNDENIABLY an integral and inseparable part of Republic of Indonesia according to two UN resolutions. In comparison, Australia is Aboriginal land illegally annexed by Britain using the illegal "terra nullis" concept which has been considered as illegal by the Mabo Ruling of 1995. An illegally-established country like Australia trying to tell others what is legal is like Hitler complaining about anti-Semitism.

On another tangent, but still on topic, much of remote Australia's shores rely on the vigilance of Indigenous people. These refugees landed on the shores of Aboriginal land at tip of Cape York.

The irony in contact between West Papuans and this nation’s Indigenous people goes back thousands of years. One oppressed people land on the shores of another.

West Papuans are a colonised Indigenous people has rendered West Papuans 'rightless' under the rule of Indonesia and these refugees were representatives of the OPM West Papuan Liberation movement and have every right to claim political asylum. The 1951 Refugee Convention defines 'refugee' as a person with well-founded fear of persecution due to his or her race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group (Article 1A(2)).

Tony Kevin raises a very important question about our nation’s hypocrisy in regards to assisting those whose human and political rights remain under constant persecution by invaders (in this case Indonesia).

We commit troops to Iraq but not more than a stones throw from our own shores are people whose cry for independence and UN intervention goes unheard. More W.Parpuans will arrive and it will surely test DIMIA, Australian Federal Police and Australian Secret Intelligence Services to coordinate a political solution that fits with the existing 'pacific solution' framework.

All,
*Its pointless debating with Leigh, every post he loads up repeats his last piece of didactic excreta. OLO should reconsider letting these types on this site, they have nothing constructive to contribute beyond their hate for everyone and everything.

Maaf? PTBI, I think you have missed the point of 'debate', its not quite the same word here as ABUSE. Don't be a troll - no one wants to invade you, ya big silly. Check out your own facts about Australia first. Selamat jalan.

Pround to be an Indo,

You are so stereotypical Indo its not funny.

A talking advertisement for the self centred parasites that destroy everything, as life is cheap isnt it?

It is good to have an opposing view though. I totally agreee with you on your legalities, esp with Australian aborigines and West Papua being part of Indonesia, but i am going to pull you up on 2 things:

Firstly, saying timor is a worthless piece of real estate is silly. They have wonderful natural resources i wont even begin to mention. Oil being one.

Apart from the fact you think like an indonesian (it is no value to you so who cares destroy it), your third world mentality is showing. Violence is the way.

Over here we have it good, and our outlook as Australians mean we have a natural urge to assist others, whatever country. When you become a first world country like this, and you have some respect for others, you will understand.

And as for inviting the Aussies to take on Indonesia. You have a big army, but as one Aussie soldier who went to timor told me. "I could smash 5 with each hand they are poorly trained, they have no heart and they need our assistance with training on land as they are hopeless"

I am not trying to cause conflict, but like most with your naivity, you make outlandish claims.

Your country comes here every day and rapes our seas of fish, your own people every day try to escape and we are left with boatloads of illegal people. We help you in so many ways, but like the ungrateful that you are, you would turn on us like a mongrel dog.

Thanks.....Mate.

Proud to be Indonesian

What about the 1.1 Trillion Rupiah Indonesia gets each year in Aid from Australia. What about the 7.1 Trillion Rupiah we have given for reconstruction after the Tsunami.

If there was a conflict with Indonesia we would not need to invade we would just turn our backs on a country that would tear itself apart. Indonesia's colonial past left it with many problems, Sukarno and Suharto kept things together via the police and military.

If an Australian Govt wanted to get Indonesia out of West Papua it would not do it by military means, it would be accomplished by economic means.

No point quoting UN resolutions, we know our Govt only takes notice of them when they suit their own ends.

The arguement has been put about on peoples apparent lack of concerns about those Papuans - or any one else who might fall into the category of asylum seeker - who dont have the resources to escape and it is a bit lame; it's a bit like that dumb arguemnt thatis often put up that any one conercerned with Van Nguyen hanging, for example, should rightly be pre-occupied with every incident of capital punishment that goes on around the globe - and if your not you're a hypocrit.

Well most peole have a life to live and will be concerned about what they see, what's immediate and what they might reasonably devote some time to - Don Quixote most of us ain't.

Tony Kevin is right authorities will be annoyed - the defection of the Papuans places them in the invidious position of confronting the truth about the Indonesian regime - they will employ the best of those schooled in equivocation to talk their way out of a sticky situation.

Their success also brings back into focus the stupid means by which we process these people, the un warranted expense and the unwarranted trauma it inflicts on people - using only a mercenary assesmnet our DIMIA processes are so innefficient they should be adandoned on those grounds alone.

Pragmatism will prevail and I suspect the Papuans - refugees or not will be returned. And many white Australians will be happy. And thats all that counts . Isn't it?