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West Papua: The Genocide That Is Being Ignored by The World

If you need evidence that politicians and the mainstream media pick and choose which oppressive conflicts to cover in order to further geopolitical ambitions, you need only Google “West Papua.”

Ever heard of it? Have you ever been sitting at home watching CNN, BBC, or Fox News and heard the news anchor mention West Papua?

It’s strange that this oppression receives little to no media coverage considering a recent fact-finding mission conducted by the Brisbane Archdiocese’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission reported that West Papua was experiencing a “slow motion genocide.” The report warned West Papua’s indigenous population is at risk of becoming “an anthropological museum exhibit of a bygone culture.”

When you learn what fuels the conflict in West Papua, it becomes clear why this issue receives hardly a blink from our peace-loving politicians and media establishment.

West Papua is home to one of the world’s largest gold mines (and third largest copper mine), known as the Grasberg Mine. Grasberg is majority-owned by the American mining firm Freeport McMoRan. It has reserves worth an estimated $100 billion, and the company is Indonesia’s biggest taxpayer.

Money and geopolitics usually beat out human rights. Since the Suharto dictatorship of Indonesia annexed West Papua in a 1969 U.N. referendum – largely viewed as a land grab – an estimated 500,000 West Papuans have been killed fighting to achieve independence.

Related Reading: War Crimes & Genocide: What You Aren’t Being Told About US Involvement In Yemen

Freeport McMoRan was given rights to Grasberg when the Indonesian government signed the right to extract mineral wealth from the site in 1967. In order to preserve this quite literal gold mine, the Indonesian military uses brute force against the local indigenous population. Benny Wenda, a native Papuan who has campaigned his whole life for independence, details the kinds of experiences the local population has endured at the hands of the Indonesian military:

“Now, every morning on the way to their gardens, Benny and his mother and aunties would be stopped and checked by Indonesian soldiers. Often the soldiers would force the women to wash themselves in the river before brutally raping them in front of their children. Many young women, including three of Benny’s aunties, died in the jungle from the trauma and injuries inflicted during these attacks, which often involved genital mutilation. Every day Papuan women had to report to the military post to provide food from their gardens, and to clean and cook for the soldiers. Violence, racism and enforced subservience became part of daily routine.[emphasis added]

Australia, a country with a cozy, albeit confusing relationship with Indonesia, plays its part in destroying any decent discussion on this horrifying issue. In November of last year, the Indonesian government asked Australia to put pressure on the Pacific nations who have begun to show support for West Papua’s campaign for independence, effectively stopping these tiny islands from “interfering” in Indonesia’s affairs. Australia has been quite complicit in this issue to date, even providing the Indonesian military with the equipment necessary to wreak havoc on the local population.

Lately, however, there has been some progress. The two countries suspended military ties after an Indonesian military official found “offensive” material at an Australian military base, including homework that suggested West Papua was part of Melanesia and should be given independence.

Regardless, Papua has the highest poverty rate in Indonesia. It is nearly three times the national average. It also has the highest infant, child, and maternal mortality rates in Indonesia, as well as the worst health indicators and the lowest literacy rates.

Imagine how greatly the West Papuans could improve their standard of living if they were allowed to control their own resources without the Indonesian military forcibly destroying their lives.

Meanwhile, an American mining company continues to make hundreds of billions of dollars at the expense of innocent natives.

Originally published January 18, 2017

 

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Darius Shahtahmasebi
Darius Shahtahmasebi is a New Zealand-based legal and political analyst, currently specializing in immigration, refugee and humanitarian law. Contact Darius: [email protected]. Support Darius' work on Patreon: patreon.com/thetvsleaking
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97 Replies to “West Papua: The Genocide That Is Being Ignored by The World

    1. free west papuans from slavery….give them their independence and the right to control their resources thats rightfully theirs or you Indonesian soldiers will have a painful death. #TarnishSlaveryFromWestPapuans #GreedyTraitorsAndTyrantsWillRotStanding

      1. West Papua is so obscure with its problems hidden from the world courtesy if Indonesia and surprise suprize even Australia which we revere as a civilised country

    2. Mostly about the minerals. Huge copper concentration there. I used to work for one of the mining corporations that had a mine there, before they were bought out by Freeport. Freeport bought up pretty much everything around the world that wasn’t owned by Barrick. The people there have always resented the destruction of their island. The conflict has existed for decades but now this. The natives there refused to live in cities or be controlled. They just wanted to live free.

  1. The other issue in WIKIPEDIA pertaining to the McMoRan company and others,,, there was an awful lot of activity with these companies right after Hurricane Katrina wiped out New Orleans. What a coincidence, considering these owners are also involved in climate and storm modification, aren’t they??? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeport-McMoRan

      1. Wake up man. It’s now been declassified, so it cannot be denied.

    1. Just look at Panguna mine in Bouganville and you will see how good papuans are,total rubbish.
      They are primative people who only know how to fight and kill.
      Irian Jaya is Indonesia and the people are Indonesians.
      Its about time all you do gooders pulled your heads in.

      1. TALKING ABOUT THESE PEOPLE, JUST LOOK AT THE EDOMITES HISTORY TOTAL RUBBISH. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE PRIMATIVE PEOPLE WHO NOT ONLY KNOW HOW TO FIGHT AND KILL BUT FIGHT AND STEAL AND CAUSE GENOCIDE. SINCE HIS EMERGENCE FROM THE CAVES, THIS UNGODLY, VIOLENT, VILE, SDISTIC, SEXUALLY DEPRAVE, CRIMINALLY INSANE BEAST HAS CRAWLED ACROSS THE EARTH PUTTING OUT THE LIGHT WHEREVER HE HAS GONE. EVERY LIVING ORGANISM UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO ENCOUNTER HIS HAS MET A DISASTROUS FATE. LIKE A PLAGUE UPON THE PLANET, HIS SAVAGERY IS LEGENDARY , HE DEVOURS AND LAYS WASTE TO EVERYTHING HE SEES. HIS GREED AND QUEST FOR TOTAL DOMINATION AND POWER OVER HUMAN LIFE HE THINKS OF HIMSELF AS EQUAL TO GOD. AND WE KNOW WHAT HAPPEN TO SATAN FOR THINKING THE SAME THING.

      2. Originally published 2017.. 2019 now is the year.. From that time until today.. How many atrocities have been committed.. It is so saddening. If only the superheroes in the movies are true..

      3. Reg! Or whoever the heck you are…Bougainvilles case is somewhat beyond what your little shallow minded brain can comprehend. You have no knowledge whatsoever in the issue of Bougainville. We are heroes of our land ,we fought for our rights and so we are in the direction to be an independent state. We are not primitives as you claim we a group of very intelligent people. You on the other hand are as good as a racist piece of shit!

        West Papuans are not Indonesian and you have to get it straight into your small brain. They dont have same culture, traditions, belief system and most of all their race..Genocide is real to them. It’s high time the so called super powers and big brothers should start backing their fight for freedom and Independence.

      4. Reg, It was brutally invaded by Indonesia. They are not Indonesians. You ignore the 1,000’s of years history prior to 1969. Even so, when does it become ok to rape and kill the local population? You are a partner in these crimes if you think it is ok.

      5. Total rubbish Reg your right total rubbish West papua the inhabitants are melanesian not Indonesia your rascist and obnoxious views on indigenous culture is the product of a warped value system satanist not christian

      6. Surely, being ‘primitive’ does not mean ‘disposable’? They have a Right to live their lives as their culture dictates?

      7. Reg demonstrates the racism and contempt which Indonesians are taught to view Papuans and others with. There are some Indonesians who can see through their government’s propaganda and justifications for the looting and oppression of Papua, but the majority are in thrall of their government and military’s PR.

      8. The Papuan people are the true rightful indigenous people of the islands. I was born there in 1960 when it was ruled by the Dutch. They had promised the Papuans independence. Alas Indonesia claimed the land even though they histirically had no claim to the land. All they wanted was the gold and other minerals. They also wanted the land to move their own people from the over populated Jakarta. They brutally overran the Papuans who are the true and only rightful owners of west Papua.

      9. It’s about time you understood self-determination and human rights. West Papua is not Indonesian and its people are West Papuans.

      10. They are total rubbish? ‘Primitive people who only want to fight’ (your words). Germans dehumanized the Jews is EXACTLY the same way. Dehumanization is essential in the process of genocide.

      11. As opposed to the civilised Indonesians who rape, massacre and kill to allow foreign millionaires to come in and ravage and pillage their natural resources in exchange for a few bribes.
        Maybe it’s about you pulled your head out of your bumhole.

      12. You need to pull ya head in ya fool Irish jays my ass it’s only been called that since the UN handed half the continent of “Papua” to Indonesia back in the late sixties so go get ya self educated ya fool the natives are not Indonesian there Melanesian! (Papuan)

      13. It is about time the world specially Australia and the Philippines wake up and tell Indonesia get the fuck out of Irian Jaya the locals are not Indonesians, they are black.

      14. What you call Irian Jaya is not Indonesia. the native people are not Indonesian people. Indonesians do not come from West Papua, it has been colonised. It has been taken from native people who belong there, it is theirs and always was. They are victims of greedy “civilised” nations. If I was a native of West Papua I would be fighting and killing also for my peoples right to live as always have done in my own land, you would be seen as imposters.

        “Just look at Panguna mine in Bouganville” – yes, exactly – caused by a mine of greedy nations.

        “They are primitive people who only know how to fight and kill.” – Typical language of a colonialist, much like the failed British Empire used to talk of “primitive” people and justify the violence and racist hatred against them and genocide. Just because people live differently to you, with nature, including tribal conflicts, as they have done for thousands of years, does not mean you should take their land and way of life away from them, and try to make them “civilised”. It’s civilisation that is killing them, and that’s you.

        It’s time you pull your own head in, and get out from where you don’t belong.

      15. Your remark is primitive! Papua will never be Indonesia in the heart of intelligent people. Because of a political danger in 1962, by Indonesian Leaders and Russia, as a possible risk for world war III, these communists got this beautiful country, owned by Papua’s as a negotiation gift to prevent this war. One day you have to express your responsibility before Allah for your stupid remarks. Indonesians are busy with a genocide!

      16. Who paid you to write that? Irian Jaya is geographically and ethnically part of Papua and its about time bigots such as yourself wised up.
        The Indonesian elites and the Americans are ripping the Papuans off big time, and if you were honest you would admit it.
        Freedom and independence for West Papua!!

      17. No, Australia is complicit in this genocide. Like the Palestinians, the Papuans are being treated very, very badly. This brings shame on all of us. At the very least we should raise our voices in support of West Papua,. it’s people, and it’s culture.
        They deserve better.

  2. I don’t think Australia or US governments are “behind” the world’s ignoring this atrocity, or the many other atrocities like it that go on around the world constantly. I think these things are ignored because people (myself included) are busy, most of the time, living their own lives. Whatever “free time” we have is (understandably) devoted to “unwinding” watching the game or chilling out in whatever manner we choose. Maybe we can all dedicate a LITTLE of our precious free time to become more aware of the horrible situations many of our fellow humans have to live under, and even to doing something about it.

    1. Greg When you consider the ‘news’ that is forced on us today, mostly about Trump, what he said, what he did, on a daily basis, or the trumped up Russian hacking, or the lies about Syria, it definitely is a constructed package that the governments are giving us. We rarely, if ever, hear about Indonesia, its genocide of Timor, and Papua. I realized this when the fires that swept through Sumatra and Borneo were blamed on weather, when all along it was government forces literally clearing the way for the palm oil industry and wiping out millions of acres of rainforest and all the wildlife that lived therein. Genocide for certain, to which we turn a blind eye. North Americans have been fed a diet of celebrity worship and they prefer to stick to that.

      1. i have watched this for many years, lets not forget about the christians mutilated and there churches burned in indoniesa , a islamic hatred filled nation. cant believe americans are involved. sad. but my point is the news of this is out there , you have to look on the back page granted, that seems to be the new norm.

      2. It was the U.S. that pushed the U.N. for the “act of free choice” that held a vote in West Papua at gunpoint. It was the U.S., Australia and New Zealand that funded the genocide to steal West Papuan Gold. Yes those countries are the cause of why this genocide it ignored.

      3. I for one have never been a worshiper of EVIL Hollywood. They really became-Hollywood from Hell. I love the God of Abraham, and I am not perfect- but the yearning inside of me has always been to live in the world as God intended. What words could ever tell of how that life would have been. We have seen what goes on around the world, evil is in every culture – race. It continues to become more rabid. The world does need to know of this, before- it comes knocking at doors who had not a clue..NEVER EVER should we be so busy that we use the excuse-‘I NEVER SAW THIS COMING’ . Within God’s Holy Bible, he tells of things that happened , and, tells of things yet to come. We should fear to not be so ignorant of what he is trying to tell us. We should care to tell those not so familiar with who he is- they will remember the effort made unto them- if it is when they stand before God and he reminds them. Many say that we can do nothing about the world’s spread of corruption and disrespect of human life. Yes, we can. WE can pray to the only one who can do something,- The God of Abraham. Let us care to write our names upon the list that will be known by The God of Abraham..Praying to him, Walk by faith- believe in him and you shall know of his power. He spread back the sea- and delivered the people from the awful ruler. The world is distraught of the evil – but another time is headed to the rescue of the beaten people. When those Evil Doers see ALL of the victims rising up to be with God because of their- faith, and those of no faith- or faith in other Gods- are left behind to face what no nightmare could have even spoken o- it is true- ” VENGEANCE IS MINE ” does say the Lord God. The tears of all who have so suffered, and are still suffering, God will hold those guilty of these tears, accountable. These so harmed, will come to live in God’s own house- it is of many mansions, and the riches of the evil -will be given to the victims. The Evil hearted people- will cry out forevermore. Politicians will get more than what they deserve- ‘INTEREST PAI’ on their – EVIL DEEDS that they cast upon the innocent and the poor. ALL who participated in the wrongs against the innocent and the poor, as these cried out, the EVIL DOERS enjoyed fine living- paid by the blood and destruction of innocent people PRAY. God is always looking to hear us.AMEN.

    2. I agree with both of you. There’s also some metal for smartphones and maybe older cell phones coming from this kind of abuse, I’ve heard.

    3. “I don’t think Australia or US governments”
      A better understanding of how the politicians are funded is a first step in understanding who the “government” represents. I am certain it is not the middle class and the poor.

    4. GREG, if you havent researched and dont know who runs this world.. THEN you like many other are too busy with rubbish…. I am being honest and blunt. The powers that be Rothschilds [banking] and UK, USA, ISRAHELL are all controlling this world for evil…

      You can see the United Nations Plans for world on their site… shot Senator Anne Blessington from South Australia was warning us 10 years ago about Lima agreement, Club of Rome, weather manipulation……. which has been happening since USA invaded Vietnam on false pretexts.

      And honestly if you or anyone else doesnt have the time with all the technology then you are too busy with things that are not important in long run.

      Simplify… I found out a lot in the library before computers and that was only because my classmates were murder by USA gov forcing them to fight or go to jail… and I want to know why Australia was kissin arse…

      The libraries are still good. AND the most important thing humans can do for their children is to get educated , turn off the idiot box all it does is feed you lies and propaganda

      And A tip, you need to be working in a group to share the load,,, I missed this one as I have been focusing on the lies re Venezuala and USA tyranny there .

      Good luck,, YOU will not like what you will find out.. and uTube has some very good reporters who are factual and not biased.
      eg. Uk Column News, 21stcenturywire, for middle east and others, Corbett Report for all sort so documentaries… You might like James Corbett, Canadian Living and working in Japan, methodical,,, investigates and you can do little chunks and go further as he leaves links for everything so you can go deeper… But for a clear concise overview of what is going on in this evil world he would be good to start with…

      He has his own website and you can subscribe if you like the content… Which is like a library…. try out and see…

      you wont be jumping in the deep end and you can choose what you want to know first.

      Best of luck.. Blessing…

      1. Who the hell is “shot South Australian Senator Anne Blessington”? I’m South Australian, I work in politics (and have done for 25 years) and I’ve never heard of her.

      2. Never heard of a Senator Anne Blessington from South Australia (I’m Australian), let alone a “shot” Senator Anne Blessington. We don’t generally shoot our politicians here. That happens in America.

  3. Your review fails to recognise:

    1. The provinces are semi-autonomous, receiving more federal funding per capita than the other provinces, i.e. same level as Aceh, another difficult area
    2. The leaders of these semi autonomous provinces are elected, and only West Papuans are allowed to be candidates.
    3. The “ethnic cleansing” ended last century and you can google to find all the various death incidents, past and present
    4. Most of the violence is now inter-tribal with some tribes trying to disrupt the electoral process
    5. The United Nations sanctioned Indonesia’s custody of the region and has little sympathy for the Free West Papua movement, possibly because diplomats have a better idea of what’s going on rather than the social media, here’s what PNG leader had to say… “the welfare and wellbeing of Melanesians, including the more than 11 million Melanesian inhabitants of Indonesia, is of paramount importance to Papua New Guinea”.

    But he said he is “engaging in a constructive manner” with Indonesia on the touchy subject of West Papua and Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya. He told the Lowy Institute he had discussed the issue with “frankness” in a recent meeting with Indonesian president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo​ and that it “continues to be one of the most sensitive issues in our … relations today”. The discussion was not about sovereignty, he added, but about the “shared desire to ensure that there is peace, stability and development for Melanesian people in Papua and West Papua”.

    6. There are more Melanesians in Indonesia, a multi racial society (e.g. Christian Bataks in Sumatra, Malays, Chinese, Balinese Hundus, Achenese, Dyaks) than in the rest of Melanesian countries of PNG, Fiji, Solomons and Vanuatu combined.

    Lastly, here’s a snippet from the respected author of Indonesia Etc – Elizabeth Pisani, which you may wish to read more of:
    “There’s no shortage of vociferous calls for self-determination for Indonesia’s easternmost region. But the more one reads the papers here, the more one tends to agree that if Papuan politicians and voters really want to determine their own future, inside our outside of the embrace of Indonesia, they have a bit of growing up to do. In Tolikara district, elections that have already been postponed for two years were put off again this month as running battles broke out between supporters of different candidates. Today’s paper reported 46 people killed in the last couple of weeks; the death toll in Puncak in recent months has been even higher. When I heard that the Vice Bupati (Vice Regent, i.e. Number Two in government) in Wamena, the biggest city in the populous highlands of Papua had been wounded by an arrow and his adjutant killed, I assumed they were attacked by political opponents. (In fact, they were trying to put a stop to a brawl that began with an unpaid motorcycle taxi fare, and turned in to a riot several hundred strong.)”

    Btw – I visit both Indonesia and Melanesian Vanuatu regularly and became more interested in the issues after attending a volunteer symposium in Bali a few years back where I met both liberal minded Indonesians and volunteers who had rich experiences with West Papua. The Indonesian media covers West Papua extensively and The Jakarta Post is not slavish at all in condemning the past atrocities and reporting on current events.

    1. And is there a more humane treatment of the women now? Also,what about any sharing of the mining wealth that comes from local workers bringing out that ore at the mines?
      Is this the same problem that Africa has experienced with foreigners raping their land for diamonds which they hold to keep their prices to the world at rediculous prices, while treating those who dig for them impoverished?
      Surely does sound like another foreign company with very little humane goals for the country that is providing such great wealth to them.

      1. Totally agree with you there! So easy, to shift the blame on “inter-tribal” blah blah blah and ignore the FACT that women are being raped and made to service these soldiers and are treated so harshly daily! Imagine this happening to your women folk on a daily basis, then come with some feeble nonsensical explanation and yet another excuse to not have to deal with this atrocity! SMDH!!

      2. Have you ever noticed any humane treatement of populations where corporations are ravaging the land? Even in the US, if you go back to the early 1900s, the large business entities were treating workers horribly…read Sinclair’s book, The Jungle, for a real eye opener about the struggles of workers in the US. Or maybe visit the national monument in Colorado…a monument to the 113 men, women and children were murdered because the men refused to go into the mines when tunnels were collpasing…so Rockefeller sent out a crew of thugs to “educate” the workers about getting back into those mines. This was labor in the US at the time. Six year olds working in clothing factories. When corporate entities with the power can force workers to work for a pittance, under horrific conditions where safety is not even an issue, then those entities HAVE done so and WILL do so. Other people do not matter, only the product matters, because that is what delivers the profits.

    2. Thank you for this. I went to Papua New Guinea in 2016. Your descriptions are very accurate.

    3. Typical Indonesian propaganda. Ethnic cleansing and human rights violations in West Papua has not stopped. Currently, the natives are less than 50% of the total population with the rest being migrants sponsored by the government to change the ethnic and religious demographics of the region.There were no muslims prior to Indonesian occupation but they currently make up 26% of the population. Not forgetting the killings done by TNI and its islamist gangs FPI.

      And stop lying about media coverage of Papua. We all know how biased is your state media when it comes to reporting about the region. No foreign journalists are allowed into the region and the ones that were given access in the past had their content censored to prevent the truth about Indonesian occupation being known.

      Indonesian is an occupier country. Papua belongs to its natives and they should be allowed to exercise the right to self-determination.

  4. Why report on this in mainstream media when we can hear about the latest feminist propaganda or how many genders we have now? We only need to hear the important stuff you know. (Sarcasm)

    I’ve seen this reported once before by some media that is considered to be of a radical nature. I don’t remember the source unfortunately. The main news outlets aren’t really covering it and the ones that do are usually pre-branded conspiracists or things of that nature. Human rights violations rarely get a mention any more. There are no doubt political motivations behind it. The mainstream media in Australia are basically just shills for the Liberal Party anyway.

    This is just another pin in the cushion for me as an Australian. I have little pride left for my country and no respect for our politicians. The United Nations must know about it and they aren’t doing anything either apparently.

      1. It was the U.S. that pushed the U.N. for the “act of free choice” that held a vote in West Papua at gunpoint. It was the U.S., Australia and New Zealand that funded the genocide to steal West Papuan Gold. Yes those countries are the cause of why this genocide it ignored.

      2. I’ve known about this genocide for quite some time and believe that this wealth belongs to the West Papuans themselves. The Indonesion government are bloody animals. It beffuddles me that we donate so much money to such a primitive and fascist regime.

      1. Winter, Chris did not say he has a problem with feminists and queers. He has a problem with mainstream news sources being focused on those non-newsworthy issues instead of providing us with real news like what is happening in West Papua.

      2. Chris made the point that the “news” media has plenty of time to report on feminist issues and gay issues, but no time to report on what’s happening that is of serious consequence – humans being tortured and lives being lost. In the grand scheme of a person’s life, suffering and death should be more important than which bathroom we use.

  5. The entire reich wing is and always has been against democracy.

    Speaking of Australia, they helped Indonesia seize East Timor in 1975, leading to a near eradication of the island’s population over the next quarter century.

    1. Yes I agree! Maybe the US and other countries will wake up now that the powers that be are pushing 5G , the thing is they are going to have to do a lot of clear cutting to affect results(dumbing down) ! YEs people are already pretty dumb, but
      5G will take care of what little grey matter they have left ! Time to turn off “the game” put down the beer and stand up and say NO!

    2. Indonesia largest Muslim population but they haven’t believed on “Allah ” on mouth their spoken but in hearts like lions. This is was happened in Melanesia west papua.

    1. Continue to share this information on your facebook timeline as well as other social mediums when possible, so that others can at least be aware of this madness!

  6. All the planet will end in landfills,ecological death zones etc…In Kysna S Africa,the last elephant there has been verified,it is smaller than its African cousin….she is dying from loneliness….and that will be the fate of man too!

  7. Reg! Or whoever the heck you are…Bougainvilles case is somewhat beyond what your little shallow minded brain can comprehend. You have no knowledge whatsoever in the issue of Bougainville. We are heroes of our land ,we fought for our rights and so we are in the direction to be an independent state. We are not primitives as you claim we a group of very intelligent people. You on the other hand are as good as a racist piece of shit!

    West Papuans are not Indonesian and you have to get it straight into your small brain. They dont have same culture, traditions, belief system and most of all their race..Genocide is real to them. It’s high time the so called super powers and big brothers should start backing their fight for freedom and Independence.

    1. Total rubbish Reg your right total rubbish West papua the inhabitants are melanesian not Indonesia your rascist and obnoxious views on indigenous culture is the product of a warped value system satanist not christian

    2. BRA…. I spent a wonderful year working in PNG many years ago. Although the number of people who had received full education was low, I found every single Papuan I met to be, amongst many other qualities, intelligent, caring, creative and forward-thinking.
      The way forward for PNG and all so-called 3rd world countries is to ensure that every man, woman and child gets the education they deserve and opportunities to better understand how the rest of the world works. Thinking about the people I knew all those years ago, their main annoyance with those in power was the lack of educational opportunities. Second was the fact that due to that lack of decent education, they could see no positive way forward.
      I really wish there WAS a way to educate the big companies as to how to treat their host countries with respect. Unfortunately, Man as a species is cruel, selfish, money-grabbing and downright evil. I have come to realise that there are few truly good people in this world. Man will not improve, so the downtrodden peoples of our world will continue to suffer. It makes me very sad and extremely angry.
      Unfortunately for all those genuinely lovely Papuans, there is nothing I can do to help except to share such reports online and entreat others to do the same. One day, perhaps if enough noise is made by us little people, the tumult may be heard by the right people.
      I live in hope.

  8. Many of us who pay attention, who do not believe in genocide, who do not believe in the destruction of the environment and the planet, we do not want these things to happen. However, we are not in power. We do not even have access to powerful people. We understand that not only humankind is at risk, but the entire planet is at risk…all so that corporate entities, billionaires, can continue to reap profits from ravaging the land and the peoples. What is curious to me is that those same persons who are in charge of all these “destruction for profit” enterprises do not appear to be paying attention to the long term consequences. Those eventual consequences will affect their own children and grand children. Do they not see this? Or do they simply not care? Or do they believe that THEY will be safe from the consequences of a destroyed human population and a destroyed environment? We just have this one earth …and when it is clearly destroyed, there will be no livable future for humans. Money or gold will not matter when there is no safe food, no safe shelter, and no livable future at all. From my perspective, these people are behaving like a bunch of chimps in the forest, taking over the next chimp tribe, oblivious to the stupidity of their behavior.

    1. And the truth is no one nows the truth! I cannot believe how we all treat each other and how those we are meant to trust cannot be trusted at all.
      I was going to repost this on my FB but I am not smart enough to now if it is tribal or dreadful. I read all of the comments but I’m at a loss.

      1. Chimps are a vicious lot. They have formed gangs in the wild and one gang will go after a neighboring gang and wipe them out. Sorta like us humans….

  9. @Nick Gorshian? As a Fiji islander I’m intrigued by your comment:

    “6. There are more Melanesians in Indonesia, a multi racial society (e.g. Christian Bataks in Sumatra, Malays, Chinese, Balinese Hundus, Achenese, Dyaks) than in the rest of Melanesian countries of PNG, Fiji, Solomons and Vanuatu combined.”

    How did you arrive at this ‘fact’?.

  10. I am so sad and confused another human can be so callus Has no compassion, a very sick cruel brain and thinks he is superior, Because the cowards can pick on the most vonurable and good people of this earth. Live and let live, Money will not Help you when the earth is destroyed.

  11. The News Its not fully true, our President Jokowi have special program to making Papua growing in economy by stabilizing the economy and Infrastructure. But OPM (the criminal with heavy Weapons) hasil been killed some of 31 Indonesian civilization and some of them were Christians. Right now the military take over the companies to continue build up the Infrastructures as our President gave command to them, and now when the military doing the abuse things to West Papua especially Nduga itu must be the Churches in Nduga make confirmation about what Indonesian military done and court and jail is waiting for their crime. But untuk now we didnt hear from Nduga Churches. Please make report and investigation objectively.

  12. It is a shame that these kind of genocide goes unnoticed. This happened in Sri Lanka and continues to happen. The Tamil people and the years of rape and killing went unreported or even when reported it was twisted as a terrorist act by the Tamils and corrective measures by the Sri Lankan military.

    Even today over 250000 soldiers control the North East of Sri Lanka home to 3 million Tamils. The ratio of soldier to civilian being 1:12. I can imagine how it must be for the West Papuan populace against the Indonesian military. You can imagine that in Sri Lanka. We should voice for the voiceless.

  13. I’ve post comments about US World Aggressions since US creations.
    Now I’m looking for it and I do not see it where is it????????
    So what’s going on???????????????

  14. Fabulous article written by some fatuous wanker living in cosy little New Zealand well away from the geopolitical/ military realities faced by Australia.
    New Zealand is a brave nation who traditionally punched above its weight in international conflicts and i have great respect for its values and its people.
    Australia is a country that has prospered from its investments in PNG no argument.
    But
    The emergence of Indonesian religious extremes and Chinese influence has given pause for thought.
    Australia has generated huge improvements in PNG
    It has taken military action against the Indonesians in protection of citizens in PNG and East Timor TO ITS COST.
    BALI Bombings is an example.
    1975 is also an example of opposition to Indonesian expansionism.

    Suggest the writer pulls up his school boy pants and puts himself in the frontline.

    I doubt it… north island is quite comfortable and smug in an old fashioned english enclave sort of way.
    Great for LOTRings fantasy films…but very short on direct support for military action.

    A very indian bias wafting out of the narrative.

  15. Their heart breaking true raw sadness here. My heart is in great pain. This makes me sick what we do to help theses wonderful people fight back.

  16. The World has to be vigilant. The most powerful in the world are corrupt and will kill to meet their wants and desires . Starting with Traitor , Fraud, Con, Liar, Loser, Fascist, Donald J Trump.

  17. West Papua has for hundreds of years been a Melanesian Land. Indonesia began as a country in 1949. West Papua gained its Independence on December 1, 1961 from the Dutch Administration that created the road to Melanesian Freedom. Indonesia only wanted West Papua’s rich natural resources! Indonesia contrary to United Nations Charter dropped paratroopers into UN Dutch Administered West Papua New Guinea. They were captured by Melanesian/Dutch troops. Indonesia, a new country, did not include West New Guinea! Indonesia was denied Dutch New Guinea by the United Nations several times while it used its military to take free West Papua! Upon invading West New Guinea on May 1, 1963, Indonesia began its 5 decade genocide which is still in progress against the Melanesian Tribes. Buy the book ” I Survived the Biak Massacre by James Parker.

  18. I’m Australian and am not surprised Australia is not doing anything yet. We are diagonally under the largest Muslim country in the world.Their army is bigger than ours and being Muslim they are probably allied with most all other Muslim nations who would come screaming homophobia at-all and sundry.. Indonesia’s population is approx. 264,000,000 people. Australia’s is over 24,000,000. We have an excellent but small army, Air Force and navy, which spends most of its time picking up illegal immigrants smuggled in by Indonesian People traffickers and returned to same.
    So do u see the problem? It wouldn’t only be genocide of West Papua, Australia could well be next on the list. I hate what’s happening to the West Papuans, but aside from prayer and fasting for God to fix the problem, what do we do?

  19. Western man is so humgry for money and power that they will even destroy natural habitat to kill off Indigenous people to rape their land and subgigate the women. Francis champollian in translating the Rosetta Stone, spoke of a tribe of veritable savage, tatooed on various parts of his body called Tamahu. The destruction continues even to today; these tribes people had no language of their own, they adapt and take over other groups of people, the savage mentality continues to possess them and exposes them as the savages history has seen them to be…they aren’t Black!

  20. Sounds horrible. I’m about to explore more about it.. Thank you for dispelling ignorance and increasing awareness.

  21. Exaggerated and unfair. Much more complex situation. The writer has been fed info by the West Papuan independence movement. Wonder if they are much better?
    S

  22. I have never heard of this conflict until this reading. Thank you for raising awareness to this terrible issue. It’s crazy how this is not being reported on or even mentioned anywhere in the media.

  23. I knew the Indonesian govt was terrible (like so many other govts) but I had no idea this was going on. It’s 2021 for godsake and the Indonesian military is still at it – total barbarism. I will make sure to avoid buying anything imported from that country henceforth. Disgraceful.

  24. The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins, Confessions of an Economic Hitman by Perkins and The Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA, Tim Weiner all open thy eyes to what is going on, has been going on and is currently influencing the track Indonesia is on. The right-wing of the United States has put blood on our hands.

  25. As a diplomat in East Papua (Port Moresby), i became acquainted with a few of the rebels in West Papua, who speak the same ethnicity as the entire land is populated by the same race. I knew their hardships from the oppression they receive from foreign companies. The same struggle continues today in the battlefield that is in New Guinea.

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