@rogindon:

Guess again. East Timor's population is more than 1 million people.
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/tt.html

Dear Susan

I must first congratulate you on speaking up for a group of persons ravagged on our northern border.

That being said, have you ever looked at the flags the West Papuans are waving? A single star with stripes. What is this flag? For those who know their history, it is the illegal flag of the longed for Republic of the South Mollucas. The flag represents the aspirations of a united country seeking independence since 1948 (after World War II) and includes territorial claims of the Moluccas Islands and elswhere. Therefore, describe this issue purely as a West Papuan issue is highly misleading. Sadly, nothing is being said about this fact. Equally, the lack of historical understanding of this issue is appalling to say the least.

This notice board is replete with calls now for 'West Papua' with obvious and explicit analogies to East Timor. People need to know the simple issue.

This current unrest is not a matter simply of West Papua. it is about the Moluccas. If these groups leave the Indonesian nation, the policy risk is that it will further radicalise Indonesia to Islam, further persecute the estimated 17 Million Catholics and other Christians and effectively destroy the Panscilla policy.

That is what is at stake.

Anyone hurting for these people in West Papua, as I am, want to see them live in peace and not be persecuted in this way. Indonesia's government is paranoid that it will see another significant province lost to a new country.

The solution, I say, is a UN Diplomatic Mission and raise the status of West Papuans.

RB

PTBI,

You said in your post that the population of East Timor was 1.5 million in 2000, but the CIA website you referred to says that the 2006 population is estimated at 800,000 to 1.1 million. Given the current high fertility rate, the population was definitely less than 1 million in 2000.

Resurgam,
I don't think even the Christian people in the Moluccas desire independence. But I agree that Muslim militia infiltration into eastern Indonesia is a big problem for the people living there. BTW one of the best sources of support and advocacy of Papuan human rights is from the Samoan representatives in the US Congress.

@rogindon:

LOL, read again. I said there were 1.5 million native Papuans in 2000. There were one million East Timorese in 2000, double the population in 1974. It is undeniable that the propaganda myth that Indonesian "killed one-third of the population" is absolutely impossible.

About West Papua, Indonesia is too soft. We must take a harder line against separatists to prevent them from violating the human rights of more Indonesians. Indonesian govt MUST protect the lives of Indonesian citizens!

Let's be honest here,the main reason for Australia protecting East Timor was the existence of oil resources which we a now share.

Both West Papuau and New Guinea are basically feral and cannot exist by themselves without an authoritarian form of Govt.

Again we have the the leftist hand wringing religious mentality that in the past were the hell fire and brimstone zealots who took no prisoners.

Religious zealots gave native poor populations better food technology and drugs to fight disease,yet under their religious laws refused them the means of contraception.They became damned to the traps of poverty.

Now we have and over populated world fighting over fewer resources and energy.The tension and pressure will only increase as instability and wars become more likely.

The non productive do gooders have a lot to answer for.

PTBI,
You are a complete idiot with a statement like this.
Quote, "About West Papua, Indonesia is too soft. We must take a harder line against separatists to prevent them from violating the human rights of more Indonesians. Indonesian govt MUST protect the lives of Indonesian citizens!"

Maintain the genicide and we will have half the population fleeing to Australia. You haven't got a clue how to handle people. No one would leave Indonesia if Indonesia was a civilized society that maintained good relations with its citizens. The reason they flee to Australia is because we do not murder our dissidents. Obviously you consider persons objecting to the theift and pillaging of their native lands as rebels to be shot.

In a world that needs peace makers you are brain dead.