Betrayal in the Pacific
By JEHAN CASINADER
“Native West Papuans continue to fight for their freedom.”
In the recent past, three major countries have struggled for control of West Papua. Two failed. One didn’t.
West Papua was first settled by its indigenous people some 50,000 years ago. In 1793 the British were the first Europeans to attempt to colonise the island, but their colony was evacuated within two years.
The Dutch took control next, but relinquished possession to the United Nations in 1962. Tension flared between the Netherlands and Indonesia over who had claim to West Papua, with governing responsibility finally being transferred to Indonesia under the US-initiated ‘New York Agreement’ of 1962. However, not a single West Papuan was involved in these negotiations.
Indonesia now had full control of the island. The New York Agreement only contained vague references to making arrangements for West Papuans to exercise freedom of choice.
There was no guaranteed role for West Papuans in the running of their country.
The numbers game
Forty years on, native West Papuans continue to fight for their freedom.
Indonesia’s strategy has not been to work with the indigenous people but to attempt to eliminate them.
Hundreds of thousands of migrants brought in from overcrowded parts of Indonesia have increasingly marginalised the indigenous population. The 15,000-strong Indonesian police and military have done their job well. Rape, murder and intimidation are all tools of their trade, and any dissidents in their way will be exposed to the worst forms of torture imaginable.
Officially, more than 100,000 have died at the hands of the unregulated military force since Indonesia took control. The unofficial figure is over 800,000. Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM), the freedom movement of West Papua, is thriving. Most of the indigenous locals are a member of this movement. Thousands have died for refusing to give allegiance to Indonesia, and thousands more are prepared to do the same.
Culture suppressed
Indonesia has tried its best to suppress Papuan culture. Anything that does not fit in with Indonesian culture has been removed. In classrooms, Papuan history, concepts, ideals and values are not taught. Cultural history is only kept alive by the stories that parents pass on to their children. TV screens show Indonesian faces.
The Indonesian-regulated West Papua tourism industry markets the indigenous people as half-naked dancing tribesmen. Tourist dollars are always waiting.
West Papua is rich in natural resources, but has no governing structure to manage them. It has the biggest gold mine in the world, and large rainforests and oil reserves. The military have exploited these resources to expand the military budget for the region.
The struggle continues
The international community continues to look the other way. West Papua has been brutally treated for four decades, for no crime of its native people.
In regaining control of their country, West Papuans will face the huge challenge of rediscovering their culture, of re-establishing the traditions and customs that have been lost.
And what a challenge that will be.
Find out more
This article was written as part of Global Focus, a collaborative project of Tearaway Magazine and the Global Education Centre. It was first published in Tearaway magazine and is reprinted here with their permission
Illustrator: Gavin Mouldey
