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LoginTime Magazine’s report on West Papua refuted
The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) Media release:
“As the US Congress debates a human-rights crisis in West Papua, the Australia West Papua Associations (AWPA) refute TIME Magazine and NGO reports purporting human-rights concerns have been driven by impoverishment in the territory.
In a statement issued today AWPA asserts Papuan protests have been driven by Indonesian administration and denial of self-determination since a US drafted contract in 1962. The association refutes Indonesian assertions that West Papua is a domestic matter.”
References:
– AWPA statement on the international context of West Papua
– US Congress resolution, the next Congressional hearing is purported to be scheduled for 22 September 2010.
– Time Magazine purporting that it is impoverishment which is leading human-rights campaigners to speak out. Also Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s repetition that West Papua “is not a foreign policy issue”.
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Today, August 30th I took time to personally speak to my US Representative about the plight of native peoples in Indonesian controlled western New Guinea and asked for her support of HR1355 to better human rights for those who live there. Apparently a previous phone call had not been forwarded to her attention. I’m hoping one nations’ democracy still has the power to raise conditions for hope clear on the other side of the world. That the voices that speak clearly for doing what is just in this world still have the power to bring issues to bear. Not letters or resolutions alone but true decisions on the legality of how colonial lands were divided up and essentially traded off . With growing concern for the state of the world environment International Court of Justice should rule.
Main stream news in the US is highly consolidated and likes to spin information to benefit corporations.. In my estimation Indonesia would not think there was some truth to what the people of western New Guinea were saying if Indonesia was not also at the same time trying to have a man seated as Ambassador to Washington who previously worked against movements for freedom and human rights in eastern Timur.. As Ambassador to Washington his slant on what’s going on would be given the credibility of his position and be invariably picked up on by main stream news outfits in the US.. It would be wise if the past of the ambassador-delegate presently asking to be seated is carefully vetted so his appointment doesn’t in any way adversely affect chances for better human rights or freedom for the people of western half of the island of New Guinea.