Papuan independence leaders recently met with State Department officials and congressmen in Washington, D.C., in order to discuss peaceful solutions to the struggle for independence from Indonesia. A future visit to Australia is also planned. In a recent interview, Willy Mandowen, a leader of the Papua Presidium Council, acknowledged the U.S. policy of not supporting separatism in Indonesia, but expressed pleasure at the willingness of officials to sit down and discuss the problem. See Spotlight Article
