WEST PAPUA: Canberra maintains support for Indonesian occupation

Vannessa Hearman

Following Indonesia's withdrawal of its ambassador to Australia, Hamzah Thayeb, from Canberra in response to the granting of temporary protection visas to 42 West Papuans, the Australian government has been at pains to point out that it continues to support Indonesia's territorial integrity. On March 26, Prime Minister John Howard stated: "We do not support for a moment the West Papuan independence claim. To those who are urging us to do so, I say we will not."

Australia's ambassador in Jakarta, Bill Farmer, has also echoed these sentiments. The Australian embassy in Jakarta has been the target of protests and anti-Australian graffiti. A group naming itself "Papuans Who Love Indonesia" protested outside the embassy on March 27.

Since the March 16 protest at the Cenderawasih University in West Papua's capital Jayapura against the US-owned Freeport gold and copper mine, during which five members of the security forces were killed, students have stayed away from the university. The university claims the situation there has returned to normal, with a graduation ceremony on March 28.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian human-rights organisation Kontras began investigations into a rumour that 16 students were killed by the military as retribution for the March 16 protest. Jayapura police chief Tommy Yacobus rejected this rumour, as well as news that at least three students have crossed the border into Papua New Guinea to seek asylum there. It was also reported that a former student from the university, Alfredo Iek, was shot and injured by unknown assailants at his home on March 28.

A high-level Indonesian delegation returned to Papua on March 28 to hold discussions with the Papuan People's Council, the Regional Parliament and the rector of the Cenderawasih University. The delegation was criticised for not meeting with local leaders during its earlier visit on March 17, one day after the protest. According to official Indonesian sources, 15 people have been charged following the March 16 protest.

The delegation was made up of security minister Widodo AS, internal affairs minister M. Ma'ruf, armed forces chief Djoko Suyanto and police chief Sutanto. It is unclear whether the discussions will take up the demand of the Papuan People's Council for the closure of Freeport mine and renegotiation of any recommencement of operations. Chief of the Papuan People's Council Agus Alua called for any new contracts to be based on respecting the rights of the seven different tribes in the local area.

From Green Left Weekly, April 5, 2006.

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From GLW issue 663