With Indonesia dropping a thousand parachute armed soldiers into the highlands of west Papua; it is the beginning of an attempt to supposedly quell unrest among unarmed civilians'. However their past history has demonstrated because these soldiers cannot be supported from Indonesia they steal the locals food and rape the women and girls, and murder anyone who objects.

All movement of people in and out of West Papua is suspended and phone and internet cut off. This is more than just quelling unrest it is civil war of genocide, as it takes away the right of these people to do business and flee persecution. The United Nations has condemned this move by Indonesia, so it will be interesting how Australia reacts.

Indonesia has removed some 21,000 children from Papua and are educating them in Muslim schools. They are returning to the community as devout Muslims and conflicting with their community. The community keep pigs for feasts and dogs, both considered unclean by Muslims. The families were previously taught that all persons are equal, this conflicts with Muslim teaching. That only Muslims are accepted by Allah. The Indonesian Muslim Police see the students as monkeys, dogs and pigs. Police who are supposed to keep the peace were inciting violence from students. Now with the movement of heavily armed paratroopers dropped into the highlands this can only be considered as genocide against those that want independence. They shoot to kill without a just trial. Indonesia is only interested in the land not the people who have lived there for thousands of years.

Haven't seen anything about this in the media.

What will Australia do?

Nothing.

The people who stood by us in WWII will be sacrificed for the 'good' of the people who sided with the Japs in WWII.

Just as we stood by for years and watched our allies in Timor led to the slaughter.

Haven't seen anything about this in the media.
ttbn,
The Progressives haven't released the brakes on the bandwagon yet ! Takes time to formulate & synchronise reports !

Nothing is what we should be doing (when and if what is happening is general knowledge).

Given the China threat, we need to foster the goodwill and support of Indonesia rather than getting all sentimental over what a few probably long-dead Papuans did 70 years ago.

The Australian government might have got away (or might not have) with interfering in East Timor, but we cannot keep irritating Indonesia, which must be seen as a strategic bulwark against China.

Australia officially recognises Indonesia's
sovereignty over West Papua.

There's more on the web. Here's just a couple of
links:

http://abc.net.au/news/2019-09-04/west-papua-latest-protest-over-referendum-for-independence/11471016

And -

http://theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/31/an-earthquake-racism-rage-and-rising-calls-for-freedom-in-papua

Dear ttbn,

You are just so naive. You talk as if Indonesia is a singular national entity. In reality it is a congeries of ethnic groups who outside of the Javanese don't have any allegiance to the central government. Java is totally overpopulated as result of Dutch colonial control and mismanagement that the central government has been following a program of transmigration to the outer regions virtually since independence. The Dani and other Papuans have been fighting against this program for decades. It's all about the Javanese stealing what belongs to the Papuans.

Both sides of Australian politics and our good friend America continue as they started all those years ago
Indonesians only claim on Papua is it once was a Dutch colony
No other links with that country, yet we let Indonesia Colonize half of what should be a sovereign nation
Just, and for the same reason, done in Timor

It seems many here are anxious that Australia do 'sumfing' in regards to Indonesia's suppression of human rights in West Papua.

What? What exactly do you want done?

Invade? Arm the rebels? Sanctions? Go to the UN and get them to issue a stern rebuke?

What?

Or do we just want the government to do 'sumfing".

hate to minnimise the risk to PNG by Indonesia but I suspect China are a far greater risk.

G'day there IS MISE...

Spot on, ol' friend. Australia will do sweet bugger all about the Indonesians grab for more territory - Shades of President Sukarno and the 'Indonesian Confrontation' with Malaysia in the mid-1960s. I was in the Oz Military forces in Malaysia at the time, and believe me; the Indonesian Forces don't believe in anything remotely to do with the Geneva Convention! A very nasty enemy.

And would you believe, we did (or still) train Indonesian Military Officers, at ADFA and with the SAS, in Swanbourne W.A.?

Has anybody considered the likelihood that China might get involved, providing the Papuans with arms and supporting their cause?

"...Given the China threat, we need to foster the goodwill and support of Indonesia rather than getting all sentimental over what a few probably long-dead Papuans did 70 years ago.

The Australian government might have got away (or might not have) with interfering in East Timor, but we cannot keep irritating Indonesia, which must be seen as a strategic bulwark against China."

Indonesia would side with China at the drop of a songkok.

It's about time Australia started to stick up for its mates rather than stabbing them in the back.

If we'd had to fight the New Guineans as well as the Japs in WWII we'd all be speaking Japanese by now.

Dear Is Mise,

China is not in Indonesia's good books at the moment and China has also annexed part of the South China Sea that Indonesia has a claim over. I think at this stage it is more likely that China would back the Papuan separatists in order to get a foothold into territory close to both Indonesia and Australia. Having naval and airforce bases in New Guinea would put Indonesia and Australia within stone's throw and give it an inroad into the South Pacific.

Is Mise It is not the Papuans that dies 70 years ago that matter, it is those that are being murdered now. I have many friends living in the highlands of West Papua, who have studied in Australia and boarded in my home. Several have university degrees, and are leaders in their community.

1. On Papua as part of Indonesia

After Netherlands’ colonization, Indonesia became the legal successor to its territories including Papua.
This is based on the international legal principle uti possidetis juris: newly formed sovereign states have the same borders as before their independence.
In 1969, through the Act of Free Choice the people of Papua reaffirmed that Papua is an irrevocable part of Indonesia. This decision was recognized by the international community through UN General Assembly Resolution 2504.


2. On democracy and human rights in Papua

Wenda claimed that the people in Papua have no right of self-expression. This is not true.
The Indonesian citizens in Papua and West Papua enjoy free & fair democracy.
With its special autonomy, only ethnic Papuans are eligible to be governors and regents in Papua. No other Indonesian provinces enjoy this right.
There never was a genocide committed in Papua. An ICG report in 2006 and a 2018 Lowy article proved false the claim.


3. On the handover of the petition in Geneva

Wenda in September 2018 claimed that he presented the petition to the Chair of the UN Decolonisation Committee (C-24).
However, the Chair of C-24 said that his office was manipulated for political purposes and no petition on West Papua could be accepted.
A similar stunt was again used by Wenda, smuggling himself as part of the Vanuatu delegation to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Indonesia strongly condemns Vanuatu’s action that failed to accord respect to the sovereignty of Indonesia by including Benny Wenda, a known felon, as part of its delegation.

Six protesters have been killed, and many more injured. (Sydney Morning Herald). Pretty tame for that part of the world.

We are not talking about Australia, where demonstrators are really over-indulged. Different regimes take different attitudes to excited and possibly dangerous people taking over public areas. Surely we have had out ears bashed enough about different cultures to know that.

Absolutely nothing to do with Australia. Surely we have learned something from sticking our noses into other countries' business; it just means trouble for us that we didn't have before.

Individuals can be upset about what goes on in other countries; governments cannot.

I don't know where Is Mise gets the idea that Indonesia would throw in its lot in with China, but I know that they are a better bet for us than a mob of tribal Papuans.

President Widodo's efforts to bring stability to his Nation are hampered by the same sabotage every good leader is faced with. Indoctrinated, useless saboteurs mindlessly destroying their own future.
Up there it's hardline religious outfits & here it's ignorant leftists !

"I don't know where Is Mise gets the idea that Indonesia would throw in its lot in with China, but I know that they are a better bet for us than a mob of tribal Papuans."

Because Indonesia doesn't love Australia, it loves and covets "South Irian" and China would be pragmatic enough to allow them to have control of it, under China's guidance.

All that the Papuans would give us is a bit of self-respect, as in doing the right thing by our former allies. If we'd stuck up for them when Indonesia claimed Dutch New Guinea the present trouble and the genocidal murder of an innocent people would not be occurring.

Josephus,

"Is Mise It is not the Papuans that died 70 years ago that matter,..."

Quite so, it's the principle that matters.

it loves and covets "South Irian"
is Mise,
To be fair, they've visited "South Irian" for a lot longer than the Brits when Jimmy the Cook claimed "Irian Timur".

Looks as though all is quiet again in Irian Jaya or is a week too long to discuss the subject that appears to be of such great importance to those living in a natural resource revenue supported society ?

Indonesia has imposed a complete blackout on all media; internet and phones, and deported all non Indonesians from Papua. We are not likely to get news reports. However anyone, Papuan who has expressed independence or has been seen with a display of the morning star flag will be shot on site. The Army being Muslim have a record of shooting pigs and dogs. Also depriving the Papuans of their food sources, and rape of women and girls, this is sanctioned in a Muslim invasion. The latest I hear is 6,000 soldiers are deployed in Papua.

The United Nations needs to send in an observation team to report on the genocide.

Indonesia has imposed a complete blackout on all media; internet and phones,
Josephus,
Are you trying to tell us that the West Papuans can't get news across the border into PNG ?
If you believe that you believe anything !

Josephus seems your thread, one I agree totally with has bought out some sad truths
Some here seem to agree with modern colonialism, Indonesia has no right to be in that country
And they are and always have murdered anyone in their way
Including AUSTRALIAN JOURNALISTS IN TIMOR
Humanity is weaker if any of us ever try to paint treatment such as these poor people are getting as alright

Indonesia has no right to be in that country
Belly,
They have more right to be in New Guinea than the British or the Germans when you look at it from a historical & moral perspective.

Of course it is always difficult to judge what is right/wrong when overrun indigenous people desire to be independent after decades of occupation by others.
I think people need to avoid emotional arguments & instead work on practical & economical solutions. Would those West Papuans who received free education in Australia be content to move back to Papua & live under the conditions that inevitably arise at such momentous events as Independence ?
Have the proponents for independence worked out what road to take ? Or, are they secretly hoping Australia would give them too 1.2 Million Dollars a day as it has been doing since New Guinea's independence in 1975 ?
They should refrain from calling it Independence because it isn't ! A handful of educated Academics aren't a great foundation for a new Nation.
West Papua has more to lose than to gain. Bougainville is an example how such moves work out !

Belly,
Can you please offer your opinion on how you envisage the West Papuans being more successful in managing their affairs then the Bougainvillians or indeed any of the newly independent Nations of late?

indy ok, first your view confronts me,find it hard to believe some one supports modern colonialism with a touch of extermination
Had all the colonialists not cut that country in half it would still be one nation
Never find me blind to murder in the name of a state or country
Indonesia is in my view killing with intent and trying to rid its self of the rightful owners of that country
Australia did far better with its stewardship of the other half

Australia did far better with its stewardship of the other half
Belly,
I invite that other half here to voice their opinion to your claims !
Taking into consideration that the other half here was never as violent as the West Papuans.

I would like to condemn the provocative headline of this article. Two Indonesian soldiers have been stabbed to death by the so-called 'peaceful' demonstrators. Hundreds of shops and buildings have been looted and torched.

These violent protestors are provoked by online hoaxes about non-existent 'murders of Papuans' in Java, calling for revenge attacks against non-Papuan residents. The peddler of lies being the separatist propagandists.

No wonder Indonesian government has shut down the internet to kill-off spread of provocative hoaxes. The new cybersecurity team, highly experienced in defeating recent massive internet hoax campaign by radical Islamists, is setting its sight on the separatist hoax makers. Given its experience, in no time the entire separatist propaganda team will be in custody.

The police and army has successfully restored order, while the population has set-up self-defense groups that deterred further looting.

Indonesian government will continue its mission in developing Papuan infrastructure and economy. Under current administration, Indonesia has built 4,000 kms of roads, dozens of new airports, and new port facilities to bring the region at par with rest of Indonesia. Indonesia will not tolerate behavior of violent looters and the separatist provocators who offer nothing to advance Papuans' lives.

Proud to be Indonesian welcome back
Please do not mistake any ugly comments as the normal
But too know my age let me see your country win the ex colony's of two other country's
It remains my view those country's are still colony's, of your country
And while both sides do bad things calling [if true] locals monkeys is not good
I again ask you to understand SOME here are not capable of intelligent conversation, and ask you do not think we are all like that
You may well remind me, that some of the story's we talk of may not be true I however remain convinced no form of colonialism is justified

both sides do bad things calling [if true] locals monkeys is not good
Belly,
Yes, I agree but do you know what names we're being called by many to whom we give assistance ? I remember some ignorant academic sheilah smiling when she was called Wati Paru by a local !

Belly you are a traitor and complicit in the genocide of a culture and people. If the Australian Government sent in the army to our aboriginal protestors and placed them all in custody you would be first to scream injustice. Indonesia Muslims are a barbaric culture and threat to civilized people.

Australia has allowed our native people retain their identity and land rites. Unlike Indonesia with their propaganda. They steal their land and migrate thousands to Papua. They have removed 21,000 of the native Papuan children and placed them in accommodation and indoctrinated them in Islamic schools, conflicting with and removing the native culture.

Josephus,
What are you actually doing to find a solution ? Those Indonesians just like many British here in Australia were victims too when they were forcibly used as invaders.
Throughout history people have invade other people just like the marind did only learly last century.
The World is not one of little pockets of 10 families anymore, everyone moves to somewhere at some stage. You're obviously West Papuan, where do you live now ?

I have written to the Indonesian representative of the UN and complained about their heavy handed attack on unarmed civilians by sending in the Army.

Their approach is the same as their slaughter of civilian protesters in Timor and foreign journalists who might relay the genocide to the outside world. The UN needs to monitor what is happening behind closed doors, to ensure crimes are not being committed by their army.

foreign journalists
Josephus,
Now there's a well known source of how problems get blown out of proportion. I have seen a West Papuan activist almost succeeding in dragging an innocent cameraman (did you know him ?) into the area where his life would have been ruined & the Papuan activist would have melted into the jungle only to resurface here in Australia. I truly wonder if he would have given a second thought about this cameraman's fate considering he had no qualms in the first place to involve him.
There are decent people among every tribe or society who do not subscribe to the activists' personal agenda & who simply want to live in harmony. Activists ruin harmony for an unrealistic ideal !
What do you think would happen to your neighbours in PNG if the Australian Govt would suddenly decide to stop paying $1.2 mill/day after 50 years ? What do you think happen if Indonesia pulled out of West Papua. Could the people deal with being set back a hundred years ?
I just think that a small population with not much exposure to the modern World could survive the modern World, as inhumane as the modern World is at times ! I think it's a case of choosing the lesser of two evils or three.

I would disagree to sweeping statement that Indonesia treats Papuans with racism. As matter of fact, Papuans has become national cabinet ministers and generals in army/navy/police. Not to mention several Papuans have won Olympic medals for Indonesia. All of the local governors and district chiefs are native Papuans elected through universal suffrage, who have real power and are free to dispute central government policies.

Indonesian education subsidy meant Papuan literacy rate went up from nearly zero when Indonesia took-over to more than 80% today.

Nowhere in history were there legal discrimination against Papuans such was the case in US (Jim Crow laws) or Australia (White Australia Policy).

Sure, there are incidents (the recent one is caused by rumors that some Papuan students desecrated the Indonesian flag) but what country is racism-free?

The current administration is committed to idea of equality among all races and religions, and has fought tooth-and-nail against radical Islamic elements who seek to overturn those ideals. The police has arrested those who spread the rumor on Indonesian flag desecration and has opened police investigations into attacks on Papuan students.

On the other side, Indonesian government is also resolved to stop the separatists' attempt to use the isolated incident to spark violence and racial conflict.

Josephus not near true
My first campaign started after the mass murders in Timor, and the Murders of our journalists
Has been active ever since, both sides of politics have betrayed the two colony's of Indonesia
NOW Proud to be Indonesian, is in my view, not to be verbally thrashed by the lessor of us
Diplomacy is needed

Murders of our journalists
Belly,
I heard they were advised not to go there & they were inevitably caught in crossfire.

indy are you trying to blame the victims of murder
or the fact they [you say] had warning transfers the blame to them
not sure how you justify the extreme act of a country out of control as ok
at that time under its then government lead by a man unworthy to lead that country was out of control

Belly,
Will you please refrain from twisting words ! [you say] I said "I heard" ! The subject came up with some Indonesian soldiers who heard that themselves.
Crossfire is not Murder, especially when the victims go out of their way to get into the line of fire ! Would you call a driver who runs over a mobile phone reading pedestrian who walks in front of the car a Murderer ?

cross fire? RUOK mate

Belly,
Were you there & seen otherwise ? I wasn't ether. I heard that from an Indonesian soldier who heard it from other soldiers. All we got here is the ABC version !