West Papuan Social Activism

Introduction

This is an expression of some personal thoughts upon this subject. As with most human rights issues, the majority of people are sympatheic upon learning of the genocide and mining exploitation in West Papua. A smaller number of people decide they will allocate time and effort to help West Papua remove the external trynnary impossed by Indonesia and a small number of averice companies like Freeport McMoRan. The ability to assist such a cause can be made easiler if there is an existing local social group or organization.

Groups by Region

Australia

Being the closest regional power to West Papua, it is natural that the Australian community is generally aware of West Papua and the nature of the issue, though perhaps not the depth of troubles. Also due to its geographic proximity, the Australian Government is extremely unlikely to take unilateral or even collaborative action which would upset Indonesia. Due to the government 'pro-engagement' policy with Indonesia, many Australians incorrectly feel unable to assist the West Papuan Independance goals.

Australians can provide real assistance by:

financial support of Papuan groups in Australia and West Papua
providing production skills and resources for Video and Internet productions for use by groups or broadcasters in the US and Britain where governments are more likely to support the independance of West Papua
maintain and build domestic awareness
encourage Australian politicians to investigate the militia and abuse in West PApua and the refugee camps in PNG

An excellent example of this would be a video newsreel produced in Melbourne during 2003. Computer AVI file available here.

Video is the primary tool required to access support of the US public. Three types of video products are required to be aired in the United States

Awareness - so they know where and who West Papuans are,
Interest - show a range of nature, culture, and whatever to interest people
Empathy - reveal the lack of freedom; lack of free speech.

The above three steps keeps everything in terms the US public can accept and relate to. The supportive people would learn the rest of the bloody details by themselves via existing reports. The existing Film Australia video "The Land of the Morning Star" could work very well to create awareness. Perhaps a shorter 20min version could be produced as well. New video's are required for developing Interest and then Empathy.

The largest Australian support group is the "Australia West Papua Association" (AWPA). Regional group contact details may be fond at: Free West Papua

Canada

Canada has a generaly enlighten education and human rights record, it's distance from South East Asia would allow it's government greater freedom in voicing support for West Papua in the United Nations. It's proximity to the United States also allows a slow osmosis of knowledge between the Canadian and the United States public. Until West Papua gains mainstream media coverage and interest in the United States, such coverage and interest in Canada could be of great assistance.

Canadians can provide real assistance by:

financial support of Papuan groups in West Papua or the Free Papua Movement
building domestic awareness and encouraging TV stations to air programs about West Papua
assist by producing French language versions of such programs for domestic and French distribution
be ready to provide material and other support for US citizens wishing to form interest groups

Ireland

Netherlands

United Kingdom

United States of America

Americans in the United States can help the cause of free speech and returning Independance to West Papua, directly. It is my hope that the American public will support democracy, free speech, and other human rights once they learn of West Papua. I also hope the US government will not be able to continue its current support of the Indonesian occupation of West Papua once the voice of its own public keeps West Papua in public International view.

US Americans can GREATLY help by

learning about West Papua, who they are and how they help the US during the Pacific war
learning about Indonesia, and its corruption, dangers
asking your TV stations to air programs about West Papua
visiting now, http://www.redwire.us/AWPAN/
maintain domestic awareness of the many human rights abuses being committed in West Papua by various US and Indonesian companies and forces

There are two main groups who have had vested interests in keeping the US public in the dark about the genocide and other dangers of Indonesian governments since the 1950's. The first is the publicly know financial interests of companies like Freeport McMoRan Inc. and of the Indonesian government desire to keep sucking upon US Aid monies. The second vested interest is that of the Ford Foundation and its associates, a Foundation that also has a reputation of disabling NGO Human Rights groups by mis-directing their efforts by conditional fundings.

West Papuan Representative Groups

West Papua Council

is an umbrella organisation of all political organisations in West Papua. It is the re-emerged form of the Nieuw Guinea Raad - New Guinea Council, established on 01 December 1961, and officially and legally approved by the Netherlands. The only difference with Presidium Council (PDP) is that West Papua Council's members including mediators / facilitators who work to back up the work of the PDP members in facilitating their work. Papua Panel and PDP as well as Facilitators are all in West Papua Council.

Papua Presidium Council

The PDP was established on 26 February 2000 in a Grand Tribal Assembly of Tribal Leaders and Papuan Politicians. Possibly designed to subvert Papuan Independance interests, this organization was set up by the Indonesian pro-Golkar party in Java to steer Papuan efforts. Theys H. Eluay was appointed field supervisor of the project to gain additional Papuan support, however, Mr Eluay used this position to promote independance aspirations and the need to form honest government. Mr Eluay was assassinated November 10, 2001.

The PDP was approved by the Papua People's Congress II 2000; and as only political unit allowed to have been so formed, Papuans are using it to the best advantage they can for their independance cause. The PDP can perhaps be referred to a Provisional Government of West Papua.

Papua Panel

(Panel) consists of 501 - 511 seats/ members, representing tribes and pillars as well as places of origin, including transmigrants (emigrants) who live and would like to live in West Papua after independence. In modern terms, this is the Parliament of West Papua. Papua Panel functions the same as the House of Commons in England or House of Representatives in the states. Whereas the PDP is the same as the Congress, similar role as the USA congress'.

Free Papua Movement

(OPM) is the most famous and very long independence organisation, and the mother of all independence movement organisations in West Papua. It did conduct guerrilla resistance during the 1970's, but it has been seeking peaceful and political paths to independance since then. It has had representatives in Australia, Pacific, Sweden; and recently visiting Ireland. The OPM has been campaigning for independence of West Papua since 1963, and until today it is almost difficult to draw a line between Papuans and the OPM.

OPM Liberation Army

TPN or TPN/OPM says it is the military wing of the OPM, based in the jungles of West Papua. The where abouts of it's Chief Commander General Mathias Wenda is unknown. TPN is normally referred to by the Papuans as the TPN/OPM.

OPM Revolutionary Council

is based in Madang PNG. The Chair Moses Weror is a Right Winger, pro West as he clearly claims. The OPMRC is a Papua NGO working for independence in Papua New Guinea.

ELSHAM Papua

(Institute of Human Rights Studies and Advocacy) is the prominent Human Rights NGO belongs to the Papuan people, operating in West Papuan since 1980s. It has done great work. It reports various human rights violations in West Papua in the past and present. You can obtain updates of news and information by contacting elshamnewservice@jayapura.wasantara.net.id

West Papuan Community

(WestPaC) is a network of Papuan academics and students that conducts various bibliographic or document research to identify and better present problems and backgrounds of the political problems in West Papua. WestPaC ahs contributed Books and Papers so far: (1) Historical Review, (2) Legal Analysis, (3) Diplomatic Handbook for West Papua Struggle, (4) Human Rights Appeal. WestPaC also conducts seminars and lectures for those who want to hear more about West Papua history and problems in the struggle for independence.

Melanesian Solidarity

(Melsol) is an NGO based in Pacific that fights for West Papua cause by legal advocacy and research into problems. It also helps Melanesian Council directly. PDP - Pacific Committee is the core player-committee of the PDP. It has its own council members that run the PDP Pacific Office on daily basis. PDP - Europe Committee is equal to the Pacific Committee but it has not yet achieved the level of organisation and management as good as the PDP Pacific Committee. After the PDP has a Press Desk for Europe in Ireland, we will re-organise the Committee for Europe.

WathPapua

Ndugu Ndugu Research and Publications Institute is the first Papuan research and publishing institute legally established in Java Island of Indonesia on 01 October 2002. It is the publisher of books, cassettes, CDs, films, cards, papers, etc., in effort to educate the global community of the roots of problems in West Papua.

Alliance of Papuan Students

(AMP International) - is a student movement for love, justice and truth in West Papua. Majority of AMP members are members of Demmak. They AMP speaks for its people and their organisations such as the PDP, Papua Panel, WestPaC, Demmak, TPN, OPM, Melanesia Council to clarify the problems facing Papuans since 1960s. AMP Produces books and Papers for public readership.

Lembaga Masyarakat Adat

LMA - Papua Customary Council) was established in 1980s when the late Governor Barnabas Suebu (from Sentani Tribe) was the Governor of Irian Jaya (the name of West Papua at that time). LMA's chair was the late Ondofolo Dortheys Hiyo Eluay. LMA's role was to protect the interests of the ruling Party, Golkar (belongs to Suharto regime) at the community level. During Suharto's regime, church leaders, governors, rectors of universities and deans as well as tribal elders (famous ones) were elected by the government (or approved by them) and then they automatically became the members of the House of Peoples Representatives (MPR RI). However, lately, Theys Eluay used LMA to organise the independence movement and the Grand Assembly Meeting (Mubes Papua) on February 29, 1999 was organised under LMA umbrella to obtain approval from the Indonesian authorities. In fact, Satgas Papua and PDP establishments were protected and or facilitated under the umbrella of Tribal People's Congress and Tribal People's Task Force to protect the people's rights.

Koteka Tribal Assembly Council

(Demmak) - is the alliance of all highlanders of West Papua, who suffer more human rights than other tribes in West Papua, who are the least developed (exploited), whose natural resources are mostly exploited by multinationals. Demmak was established in early 1999 to control the work and movement of the PDP. It has at least 70% members of all Papuans. It channels the voice of the OPM or TPN to the PDP and to the International Community.

Mamberamo-Tami Tribal Council

(Mamta) has the same roles and functions as Demmak. It represents tribal groups in Mamberamo River and Tami River Territories, including West Papua Capital - Port Numbay. It has direct link with TPN/OPM just like Demmak.

Alliance of Papuan Students

Group 14

(14 Stars Group) - is another name for Papua National Party (PARNA), existed since 1960s. The famous leader, Dr. Thom Wainggai, who declared Great Melanesia in 1984 was then arrested and imprisoned for 20 years in Jakarta. He died due to food poisoning in early 1996 and buried in West Papua.

Melanesian Council

is related to the Group 14, but the Council works very close with TPN and OPM in order to achieve our common goal: independence.

Lembaga Adat Masyarakat Amungme or Amungme Tribal Council

LEMASA is the tribe of Thom Beanal, Chair of PDP now (2002). It was originally established in the campaigns of the Koteka People around the mining areas against environmental destruction caused by the Mining Operations of the giant Freeport Copper & Gold, Inc. based in New Orleans, USA.

Lembaga Ada Masyarakat Kamoro

LAMASKO is the Tribal Council of the Kamoro Tribe of West Papua Highlands. The purpose is the same as LEMASA.

Dewan Adat Papua

DAP - Papua Tribal Council) was initiated in mid 2002 in preparing the tribal elders to be brought to the USA to attend a conference on Conflict resolutions and human rights. It is exactly the same as the LMA, but due to the fact the the LMA was set up the Indonesian government, the PDP initiated this organisation. Also in order to balance the movements and activities of the Koteka Tribal Assembly which was in fact getting great support from almost all tribes in West Papua. The Tribal Government Council (DAP) is the embryo of The Papua Tribal Government / Authority, n the eyes of the Koteka Tribal Assembly's Principle of Governance, the embryo of the future government of West Papua.

Polisi Adat Papua

(PAP) or the Papua Traditional Police was initiated by the PDP, suspected proposed by Yoris Raweyai in Jakarta in order to help the PDP and Pupuan people from foreign intervention into the security of the community.