By Norm Dixon
A representative of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) in Australia, Otto Ondawame, has called for the withdrawal of all Indonesian troops from West Papua (called Irian Jaya by Indonesia). He also criticised the Australian government for its continued training and arming of the Indonesian army, ABRI.
Ondawame made the call in response to the April 15 massacre at Timika airport, 60 kilometres from the giant Freeport copper mine. According to press reports, an Indonesian soldier opened fire on elite Indonesian Kopassus (special forces) colleagues, killing at least 10 soldiers and four civilians.
The soldier had become upset after seeing the bodies of two Indonesian soldiers hacked to death by local villagers. He had argued with officers that the Indonesian army was too lenient with West Papuans before he opened fire.
"ABRI is out of control and always has engaged in widespread and indiscriminate killing of West Papuan people. Both the Kopassus and Trikora [territorial troops] have shown no regard for human decency and rights ... These ABRI forces are the same troops which Australia is training and the Australian government supports through the joint security treaty with Indonesia. They are armed to continue the military occupation and resource exploitation in West Papua", Ondawame said.
Ondawame urged the world to recognise Indonesia's occupation of West Papua as a "brutal and despotic colonialism. The people of West Papua have been denied the right to self-determination and free speech under ABRI control since the Indonesian occupation began in 1963."
There are real fears that the Indonesians are preparing to launch a military offensive against the OPM, Ondawame said. Four thousand Kopassus troops have massed in Timika. There are also 12 helicopter gunships and seven jet fighters at the airport and a warship off the coast.
"This military build-up is incredible when you consider that the OPM forces are made up of local people armed mainly with bows and arrows", he said.
"The international community and particularly the Australian government needs to stop helping the Indonesian military and adopt a position which promotes a peaceful solution in West Papua so that the people of West Papua can exercise self-determination."