Sister Susan,
I am a confirmed atheist but have consistently supported the East Timorese struggle for Independence since before the Indonesian invasion as an activist helping to maintain communications between the internal and external representatives of Fretilin and passing on information to the media of Indonesian atrocities from the date of the invasion which had been passed on during radio transmissions.
However the media was complicit in refusing to publish press releases on the grounds that they were 'unconfirmed reports'
The background to the Australian Governments of Whitlam , Fraser, Hawke , Keating and Howard refusal to acknowledge the rights of the Timorese is now a black page in our history .

I now support the endeavours of the West Papuans who have been facing the same treatment at the hands of the Indonesians and I believe the majority of Australians also support their struggle despite the policies of the Australian Government and indeed the present Opposition leader, Beasley who put Commercial interests ahead of Human Rights issues.

I hope you will forward your paper with it's Christian message to the hippocrits in the Australian Parliament who consistently open sittings with a prayer yet turn their backs on Human Rights abuses on our doorstep.

Discarding the traditional habit for skirt and cardigan seems to be Sr. Connelly’s only concession to the real world. Relations between countries simply do not work the way she thinks they should, particularly between such disparate countries as Australia and Indonesia. All interaction between Australia and Indonesia is for mutual benefit, and there is no place in the relationship for Australia to be tut tutting to Indonesia nor offering gross insult – as we did by swallowing the claim that 42 West Papuans were in need of protection from the Indonesian Government.

It has been shown that there is no comparison between West Papua and East Timor; Sr. Connelly insists that there is because it suits her to believe that the ‘other side’ is lying, including the United Nations in the case of Papua. But, the religious organization she is part of has always been more concerned about dogma than truth.

Emotion, not common sense, rules when she refers to the Australian Government’s “disgraceful proposal” for offshore processing and refuge somewhere other than Australia. As the wife of one of the 42 absconders has arrived safely and without fuss in Papa New Guinea, this is surely no problem for anyone genuinely in need of asylum. Australian has no obligation to take anyone who just turns up on our shores, needy or otherwise. We are signatories to a Convention, not to Rafferty’s Rules for country shoppers.

The Howard Government is, after a monumental gaffe, realizing what even the mighty British Empire had to realise after the Indian Mutiny: don’t interfere with the customs of the locals, even if you “own” the country. And we certainly don’t own Indonesia.

What Sr. Connelly preaches is gross arrogance as per the imperialism she is meant to despise.

Leigh,
DIMA found that the asylum-seekers had reasonable grounds for fearing persecution. No one in their right minds with a knowledge of Indonesian affairs in Papua / Irian Jaya could doubt that this factual determination was correct.

Indonesia learnt its lessons well from East Timor. Firstly, they learnt that they should have assassinated independence leaders like Belo and Xanana before they gained international fame. Secondly, they learnt that the policy recommended by Governor Mario Carrascalao and implemented in 1989 of allowing foreigners into the territory would lead to greater revelation and awareness of human rights abuse. Accordingly, TNI killed Theys Eluays in 2001 and the Government has effectively banned foreigner journalists from getting into Papua now.

There are differences between Wesr Papua and East Timor, The biggy would be oil in the Timor sea. When our government recognised the plight of these people and encouraged independance, it wasn't about anything other than oil and the deal we thought we could make
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I dont believe West Papua has significant oil reserves and as such, must make its own way in this world. The Indons are after something they have, perhaps gold or arable land. One quick glance will show that the West Papuans are ethnically different to Indons and perhaps more closely related to the PNG background.
As for the hysteria about offshore processing, whats the problem? If a person is fair dinkum being persecuted, a few months on Nauru or Xmas island should be no sweat.
Unless of course its all BS and the asylum seeker knows they would be declined.

Leigh,

The acceptance of the asylum-seekers claim was a rare and beautiful thing in Canberra-Jakarta relations - a decision made purely in its merits without political expediency butting in its ugly head to mess up people's lives and deprive them of legal rights. Are you suggesting that the countries from which such refugees come have an override on the DIMA decisions or is it only if they come from Indonesian territory?

You are on good company with Dick Woolcott and his silly demeaning article in the "Australian" today suggesting that there is little comparison between Timor and Papua. Everyone knows that the UN recognises Indonesia's claim to West Papua whereas it didn't recognise Indonesia's claim to East Timor. But there are many more similarities between the two relating to the local people's resistance to integration into Indonesia, the pattern of TNI human rights abuse and the controversial nature of Jakarta's takeover of both territories.

Concerns for human rights conditions beyond one's own borders is not the same as imperialism and to accept that it is would be to undo just about all the international human rights advances since 1945.

Leigh, at it again, believing the drivel that Ruddock peddled in the 2001 election. if New Guinea was a settlement country for Papuans why on earth would they risk a dangerous trip to Australia? There is no law or convention in the world that says people have to go to the first country - the convention for refugees was written to overcome that.

People fly here from Russia, Israel, China, Peru and Brazil - half way around the world.

What is the difference do you think? My grandfather was saved by a Fuzzy Wuzzy in WW11 - save the Papuans, everyone is entitled to peace and freedom.