West Papuan independence leaders recently visited Washington to discuss the future of West Papua. United States State Department officials as well as congressmen met with the Papuan leaders in order to discuss possible peaceful solutions to the current situation. In addition to the Washington visit, a trip to Australia is planned.
West Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya, is the western half of the island of New Guinea, and is home to some 250 distinct tribal peoples. The province has been occupied by Indonesia since 1963, but the island’s people share little in common culturally with other Indonesians. On the island itself, the range of cultural practices and languages is remarkable: New Guinea is home to 15% of the world’s languages.
West Papua’s struggle for independence somewhat resembles that of East Timor, which recently gained independence from Indonesia, except for one very important detail: the annexation of West Papua was recognized by the United Nations. As a result, the U.S. government’s official policy on the matter is not to support separation. However, Willy Mandowen, one of the leaders of the Papua Presidium Council, stated that he was happy simply to get the chance to discuss peaceful solutions with U.S. officials.
In recent years, Indonesia has made some concessions to West Papuan agitators in an effort to quell the growing independence movement. Last year the province was given special autonomy and greater wealth-sharing under a new bill, but Mr. Mandowen contends that human rights abuses are not properly addressed in the bill.
Recent events have only aggravated the situation. At present, nine officers and non-commissioned personnel are about to be tried in a military court for the kidnapping and strangulation of Theys Hiyo Eluay, chairman of the pro-independence Papuan Presidium Council, in November 2001. Benny Wenda, the Chair of the Koteka Tribal Assembly (DeMMak), was arrested by Indonesian police on June 8. It has been conjectured that the recent death of Yefeth Yelemaken, Director of the Civilian Custom Institute in Wamen, was the result of poisoning by Indonesian guerrillas.
The leaders will continue on to Australia in an effort to gather international support for a human rights tribunal to hear cases of human rights abuses, and for the eventual independence of West Papua, on the merit of evidence that the 1969 ballot integrating West Papua with Indonesia was rigged.
