'We are not barbaric': Philip Mehrtens' captor and West Papua rebel leader denies bribery
29 minutes ago
Eleisha Foon, RNZ Pacific Senior Journalist
@eleishafoon
The leader of the rebel group who took New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens hostage has denied a bribe was involved in his release, offering an explanation on the motive behind the kidnapping.
General Egianus Kogoya, regional commander of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), claims the group achieved their mission to raise international awareness for West Papua's independence from Indonesia.
Philip Mehrtens was abducted by rebel group TPNPB in February 2023 and held hostage for over a year and a half before being freed on 21 September.
Originally from Christchurch, Mehrtens has since reunited with his wife and son, who live in Bali. His older brother Chris has since set up Givealittle page to support him.
"It has been a traumatic time for Phil and his wife and son, and it may take many months for them to re-establish their lives," Chris said.
As Mehrtens re-integrates back into "normal" life, Kogoya, the 20-year-old leader of the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement, explains the reasons for holding Mehrtens hostage.
Audio
He began by denying the involvement of a bribe in the release.
"There was no bribe. No bribe was received or will be received. Where is the evidence?" Kogoya exclaimed.
He said it was for "humanitarian reasons".
Following Mehrtens' release, West Papua National Liberation Army spokesperson Sebby Sambom claimed Kogoya was bribed by a local politician.
However, Kogoya claimed Sambom was "emotional" because he was not involved in the negotiations for the release.
In a statement, the Indonesian Embassy in Wellington said, "security forces only used persuasive approaches in the release and no reciprocal actions were requested by the captors before agreeing to release their hostage".
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters also disputed claims that a bribe was involved when Mehrtens was first released.
Pacific academic Steven Ratuva said internal conflicts and fractures within the rebel group might explain conflicting information provided by its members.
"The main purpose for the capture is independence. Political mission is our purpose. We want to tell people we are not barbaric. We are not terrorists. The Indonesian government criminalised us, calling as inhumane. But we want to tell people about our suffering in West Papua," Kogoya said.
Very little about West Papua reaches the outside world because Indonesia tightly controls access for foreign journalists and human rights monitors.
'Fight for independence'
The Free Papua Movement seeks the independence of Papua from Indonesia.
An increasingly deadly battle for independence has been waged in resource-rich Papua, which borders New Guinea and brought under Indonesian control in a controversial vote overseen by the United Nations in 1969.
The referendum, known as the Act of Free Choice, was contentious because the people who took part in the vote were picked by the Indonesian military.
The conflict has escalated significantly since 2018, with pro-independence fighters mounting deadlier and more frequent attacks, largely because they have managed to procure more sophisticated weapons.
Kogoya said that six decades of renewed calls for independence and desperation to free Papua from Indonesia contributed to the hostage-taking.
The international community "shut its eyes to the human rights abuses and discrimination West Papuans face", he said.
When Mehrtens was captured, Kogoya said they took him deep into the jungle, where he spent at least a month with the rebel group.
"We were in the jungle. There was no food. We ate leaves. Mehrtens was respectful and never tried to run away. He saw the way we lived, and we want him to tell everyone about his experience."
Kogoya said Mehrtens was then moved to a village, where he stayed with locals for the majority of his time and was provided food, including meat.
A West Papua Baptist Church Rev Sofyan Yoman assisted in the early negotiations of Mehrtens' release with Indonesia and the New Zealand ambassador in Jakarta.
"The pilot was amongst the local people. He stayed with the church leaders for more than a year," Rev Yoman said.
Rev Yoman said he was in contact with Kogoya's family, and he was instrumental in negotiations and Mehrtens' eventual freedom.
Kogoya said that they were "peaceful" towards Mehrtens and that no harm came to him.
He said they communicated with Mehrtens by "speaking Indonesian slowly and we use [hand] signs".
The area where Mehrtens was held remains an extremely dangerous place for West Papuans.
"We encouraged him not to run away. Our culture always respects human beings. He listened. He respected us and we respected him. We welcomed him as our brother."
During the capture, the West Papua National Liberation Army killed at least nine Indonesian army personnel, including special forces.
There were also reports that a woman working with Indonesian Police was killed by the militant group, but Kogoya has denied involvement.
He said Mehrtens spoke to his family and colleagues five times whilst in captivity.
In a statement, his family said, "those messages filled our souls and gave us hope and that we would eventually see Phil again". They thanked Kogoya and his army for keeping Mehrtens in good health and allowing him to get several messages to the family during his captivity.
When asked about a video where Mehrtens explained his life was at risk, Kogoya said it was a "tactic" to pressure Indonesia and New Zealand government to resolve the West Papua issue.
There was never any intention to kill Mehrtens, he added.
In August 2023, another New Zealand pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, was killed after landing his helicopter in Alama, a remote village in Central Papua's Mimika district. No one has claimed responsibility for that attack, and the rebels and Indonesian authorities have blamed each other.
'Failure of the Indonesian government'
The influence of churches being mediators and communicating with rebel groups is common due to the "failure of the Indonesian government," Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch said.
"I am really ashamed to be Indonesian every time I landed in any West Papuan cities" due to the way the government treat West Papuans, he said.
He said Human Rights Watch continued to call on the Indonesian government to be held accountable for abuses against West Papuans and violating their rights.
Indigenous Papuans made up about 95 percent of the population in the 1960s; now they comprise only 43 percent, according to the latest census.
"They used to be many doctors, engineers, all those businesses were taken over. All those businesses were accused of being pro-Papuan independence and many of them are angry, not only those in the jungle but also in the cities."
The Indonesian Embassy responded in a statement, saying its government is "committed to its long-standing policy of respecting and promoting human rights and its strict policy of zero impunity of misconduct by its security forces...there can never be any justification for hostage taking".
Videos of the release, including a peaceful ceremony, showed Mehrtens saying goodbye to locals and receiving a chicken as a gift, which he carried into the helicopter, his ride to freedom.
Harsono, who was working for The Associated Press at the time, recalls interviewing hostages who claimed they were treated like locals.
He said there were "similarities with the 1996 kidnapping and the Philip Mehrtens hostage-taking."
He added Kogoya's father helped lead a previous hostage taking in West Papua in 1996. where TPNPB kidnapped 26 members of a World Wildlife Fund research mission in Mapenduma. All members were released.
West Papua v Indonesia
Indigenous West Papuans continue to demand a genuine vote on self-determination, through acts of civil disobedience, such as raising the banned "Morning Star" flag, which has become a symbol for their movement.
Activists pay a heavy price, including police and military brutality, and long jail sentences, for their cause.
Horsono said the Indonesian government was responsible for longstanding racial discrimination against West Papuans, as detailed in a recent report.
"The Indonesian government is responsible for suppression of widespread protests of University students. The students who protested against racism were tortured, arrested and were displaced."
Kogoya said: "We want international communities to know we are not barbaric; we are not terrorists. The Indonesian government criminalised us. We are not inhumane. We respect humanity."
Pacific academic Ratuva said: "For years and years they have been fighting for freedom. They have been trying to attract international attention. One of the options was to do what they did. I am not saying it was the right thing to do. The circumstances in their situation has created a condition where they ended up doing what they were doing."
He said the Indonesian government would have their own views and "narrative" on the hostage situation.
However, the issues West Papuans face can't be ignored, he added.
Kogoya said he wanted New Zealand to support West Papua in its goal for independence.
"New Zealand should play the role as mediator for West Papua in a dignified way."
New Zealand could play a role in advocating for open access to West Papua, where foreign media and human rights groups are shut out, and could assist in freeing political prisoners, Horsono said.
New Zealand continued to register its concerns with Indonesian authorities about human rights concerns in Papua, a spokesperson for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said last month.
"Maintaining open and constructive engagement with Indonesia is critical to improving the situation in Papua, and was key for the safe release of Mr Mehrtens," they said.
Three years ago, Lamberti Faan was sleeping in her village when armed men woke her.
It was September 2021, and the Indonesian military were hunting Papuan separatists.
hree days later, she fled with her family, fearful for her life.
"We know, we've learned from our brothers in the mountains, when conflict occurs, what kind of approach the military takes," she said.
"My house is now a military post."
Ms Faan now lives in a camp for displaced people in Sorong, the largest city in the Indonesian province of West Papua.
She is just one of an estimated 100,000 Papuan people who rights groups say have been driven from their homes in recent years.
"We have to start everything again from scratch," Ms Faan said.
The decades-old conflict in West Papua appears to be intensifying, as Indonesia tightens controls and deploys thousands of troops in a bid to quell the separatist movement.
But it's a war that has been happening largely in secret.
Indonesian authorities have restricted access to West Papua and enforced internet blackouts during periods of unrest.
"They're trying to cover up the situation," Ms Faan said.
"They're trying to build a narrative that [our region] is fine, there is no conflict, there are no refugees. That's nonsense."
The ABC's The Pacific program gained rare access to West Papua and was able speak with locals who said they felt neglected.
As Indonesia prepares to inaugurate new president Prabowo Subianto — a former military general accused of historic human rights abuses — some fear the situation could deteriorate even further
while others still hold out hope for a better future.
'Neglect is a form of human rights violation'
Frits Ramandey, from the National Commission on Human Rights, said the Indonesian government did not acknowledge the displacement of civilians in West Papua.
"This means the government is neglecting them, and I want to reiterate, neglect is a form of human rights violation," he said.
Veronica Koman, an Indonesian human rights lawyer living in exile in Australia, said "the humanitarian crisis in West Papua has never, ever been this bad".
"In a normal world, this would be catastrophic," she said.
"But we're not hearing anything because international organisations are under de facto ban from entering West Papua."
Earlier this year, the UN published a report expressing concern about "the use of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" against Papuans.
The Indonesian military, which generally denies allegations of human rights abuses in West Papua, was contacted by the ABC for comment.
Separatist militants have also committed atrocities, attacking Indonesian workers and civilians, and even burning schools they said were indoctrinating Papuan children against their movement.
In the streets of Jayapura, a major city near the Indonesian border with Papua New Guinea, many Papuans condemned the violence but said their situation was dire.
"If [the government] doesn't listen, but immediately takes unpleasant actions … people will be provoked by emotions to fight back, to retaliate," local man Aki Kobak said.
he cycle of violence has inflamed hatred on both sides.
In yet another sign West Papua has become increasingly militarised, there have been reports the Indonesian army has been deployed to ensure a major development project in
Merauke district can go ahead without resistance.
Just last month, work began on what environmental groups have called the "world's largest deforestation project".
Two million hectares are being cleared in Merauke to make way for sugarcane plantations as part of a food security push by the Indonesian government.
Indigenous landowners have long resisted large scale development which they said harms their environment and way of life.
Usman Hamid, the executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, said environmental degradation was an "existential threat to the people of West Papua".
West Papua is rich in copper, oil and fertile soils. It's also home to one of the world's biggest gold mines.
But few Papuans feel they have seen the benefits.
Despite their mineral wealth, Papua and West Papua provinces have the highest rates of poverty in Indonesia.
Jayapura, the capital of Indonesia's Papua province, is close to the border with Papua New Guinea.
"Papuans feel a bit like Indonesia's stepchild," Herman Jubelin Waga, a student, told the ABC.
"What is the reason why you want us to be part of Indonesia if we are not treated as we should be?" she asked.
Another student, Alex, said: "In Papua, we don't need more military personnel; what we need is free education and healthcare."
It's a sentiment echoed by many others.
Despite a policy of special autonomy for the the Papuan provinces, people said even basic services were lacking.
"The life of Papuans is very different from those who live in the west of Indonesia on the island of Java," Ms Waga said.
raised living standards for Papuans to be on par with the rest of the country.
"President Jokowi's legacy in West Papua is a disappointment … the number of displaced people, the intensity of the conflict has never been this high before," Ms Koman said.
Mr Subianto, a man accused of committing human rights abuses in Timor Leste and West Papua, is about to become Indonesia's next president — evoking fears the
conflict could escalate even further.
Still, many are hopeful a new president could bring change, despite the challenges.
Student Apyami Pahabol told the ABC: "We Papuans know he is a firm person.
"I myself hope that after being inaugurated, he comes to Papua and gives us freedom, especially in conflict zones," he said.
At the market in Jayapura, vendor Yustina Nari said: "He has a lot of things to fix here."
"Because there's been a deprivation of rights … he must protect all Papuans," she said.
Mr Hamid from Amnesty said a Prabowo presidency was unlikely to change Indonesia's policy toward West Papua too drastically — even if concerns over his past linger.
Instead, Mr Hamid worries Mr Subianto's hostile relationship with the media could lead to access to the region being tightened even further.
"He's not someone who is happy with the role of journalists and the role of civil society," he said.
"Papua has been very isolated from the world and from the international community."
And Mr Subianto has much to do if he is to solidify support among everyday Papuans.
But at a school in the remote area around Lake Sentani near the Papua New Guinea border, that's been dismissed as a token gesture.
Principal Agnes Katarina Tukayo said: "Many children in Papua, sometimes even those in higher grades, still can't read."
She wants better facilities, access to technology like laptops, and more teachers.
Indonesia stifles international efforts
Active efforts by Indonesia's government to court Pacific neighbours like Papua New Guinea have muted efforts by some Melanesian countries to call attention to West Papua.
Fiji and Papua New Guinea are yet to secure a UN human rights mission to the region — and repeated efforts by Vanuatu to talk about the situation have failed to rouse global attention.
A spokesperson for the Indonesian foreign ministry told the ABC the Indonesian government was "always in a close cooperation with all relevant UN bodies with a view to provide them
with a comprehensive picture on the recent development in West Papua".
The Indonesian embassy in Canberra was also contacted for comment.
Back in Sorong, Ms Faan just hoped she could be heard, so people like her were given the help they needed.
"My message to the state of Indonesia is that they must acknowledge there is a humanitarian crisis, that Papua is not doing well," she said.
"They must solve this [conflict] through dialogue.
2) West Papua – the war on our doorstep under The Pacific spotlight
3) Permanent People’s Tribunal Judgement on West Papua presented at UN side event in Geneva
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1) VIDEO: Indonesia’s secret war in West Papua Posted
19h ago
Vies 11 Min
As Indonesia prepares to inaugurate former military general Prabowo Subianto as president, some fear the situation in West Papua could deteriorate even further. Others still hope for a better future.
1) TPNPB-OPM attacks TNI Post in Intan Jaya, 1 TNI Soldier dies
Last updated: October 9, 2024 5:15 pm
Author: Hengky Yeimo
Editor: Syofiardi
Timika, Jubi – TPNPB-OPM (West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization) attacked the TNI/Polri Post in Titigi Village, Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua Province, Monday (7/10/2024) at 11.10 Papua Time. The attack resulted in the death of a TNI soldier.
Information about the attack was conveyed by Aibon Kogoya, Commander of Makodam III Battalion Dulamo TPNPB Intan Jaya Regency.
"This shooting was really carried out by me and my men, shooting one TNI member from Satgas Yonif Raider 509/ Balawara Kostrad, part of the Habema Operations Command at the Titigi Post," Kogoya told Jubi by telephone, Tuesday (8/10/2024).
Kogoya said the action he and his troops took was not to ask for anything from Indonesia, other than asking the Indonesian government to stop bringing in foreign investors or companies to Papua.
"Then close all companies that are working on and stealing the wealth of the Papuan Indigenous People," he said.
Kogoya said that Papuans know that murder, torture, looting, and theft on Papuan land are only for the interests of the capitalist economy, and these companies are the source of human rights violations for the Papuan people.
"With this statement there is no response from Indonesia, so there is only one word, war until Papua is independent," he said.
Regarding the attack on the TNI Post, Kogoya said that on his troops' side there were no casualties or property.
"At 11.30 the TNI fired back at two villages, namely Titigi and Ndugusig, right where civilians were active. Until now we have not checked the condition of the civilians in the two villages," he said.
Kogoya said the TPNPB-OPM hoped the TNI would not torture civilians indiscriminately and damage community property. "If you want to guess, let's be on the Trans Papua Road," he said.
Chronology from the police
Regarding the incident, Intan Jaya Police Chief Kompol Dr Subekti Wibowo SH MSi on Monday (7/10/2024) afternoon said the gunfire between Task Force Yonif 509/BY and TPNPB-OPM at the Task Force Post in Titigi Village, Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency occurred on Monday (7/10/2024) at 11.15 WIT.
"In the incident, one Task Force [TNI] personnel, Private Illham Jaya, was seriously injured and was declared dead. Private Ilham Jaya was born in Atampone, December 13, 2000," he said.
Police Commissioner Subekti explained the chronology of the incident. Initially, at around 08.00 WIT, the patrol team carried out a cleanup of the Ambush Sector. After that, the team returned to the Titigi Post with a safe report.
"At around 11.00 WIT when logistics were being collected near the Titigi Post, Private Ilham Jaya who was in the last position was shot by OPM," he said.
At 11.10 WIT, he said, first aid was given, but Private Ilham could not be saved. At 11.20 WIT, the evacuation of the body was carried out with a force of 12 people.
"This shooting incident is the second time and shows the pattern of OPM attacks that take advantage of the situation when members of the Task Force are carrying out their duties," he said.
Police Commissioner Subekti estimated that the shooting was carried out by a group led by Joshua Maiseni. "Joshua Maiseni and his friends are still around Titigi Village," he said.
Military observer Made Supriatma said that victims continue to fall in Papua, both on the TNI/Polri side and the TPNPB-OPM. However, the biggest victims are civilians.
"This is what we all need to pay attention to, the number of people displaced from their homes according to data in early 2023 was around 60 thousand. Maybe now it is even bigger considering the expansion of the conflict area," he said.
According to Supriatma, the Papua conflict requires a different approach. The problem of IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons), he said, is actually not a domestic problem for Indonesia, but could become an international problem.
"Countries that are committed to democracy and human rights should be able to intervene directly to fix this problem. The Papua conflict cannot be allowed to drag on, because it will become a big problem in the future," he said. (*)
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Human Rights Monitor
2) Nabire police alleged covering up suspect’s death after being tortured during custody
On 3 September 2024, Mr Yeremias Magai, 34, a catechist at Stasi Kristus Raja Damai Nabire and a member of the Nabire District Government Pamong Praja Unit, reportedly died during custody at the Nabire Regional Police, Papua Tengah Province. His death followed a violent arrest related to his alleged involvement in the murder of a security guard named Supriyono, who was killed on 23 August 2024. Mr Magai was detained alongside his colleague, Mr Ken Boga, who faced the same allegations. Mr Boga alleged that both men were subjected to torture during police interrogation. Mr Magai eventually succumbed to the injuries he sustained as a result of the torture. Mr Magai’s relatives reported the case to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), seeking legal action against the police.
The chronology of events leading to Mr Magai’s death paints a harrowing picture of the police brutality in West Papua. After their arrest, both suspects were subjected to severe torture while in custody. According to Mr Boga, the two men were blindfolded and beaten with bare hands and heavy tools, including a hammer. Mr Boga recounted witnessing the horrific moment when Mr Magai was beaten to death in front of him. Despite having his eyes covered with tape, Ken managed to watch the torture through a small gap to comprehend the extent of the violence being inflicted upon them. He described how both were tortured into confessing to the murder of Supriyono, despite their innocence.
On 4 September 2024, at approximately 5:00 am, the family was informed and subsequently found Mr Magai’s body at the mortuary of Siriwini General Hospital. The body had been dressed and placed in a coffin arranged by the police (see photo on top, source: independent HRDs). Although the family considered a protest by bringing his body to the police station, they opted instead to bring the body home and prepare the burial.
The Nabire Police Chief attempted to justify the police actions with inconclusive CCTV footage. Still, the family remained unconvinced, asserting that the evidence presented did not match Mr Magai’s physical characteristics. Mr Magai’s relatives are pursuing legal accountability for the acts of torture resulting in his death. They reported the case to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), seeking legal action against the police (see photo below, source: Jubi). The Nabire Police chief denied that his men had used torture during custody to force a confession and announced he would meet with Komnas HAM to seek clarity.
3) West Papua: Indonesia deploys more troops to protect colonial interests
Ali Mirin
October 9, 2024Issue 1416 World
The Indonesian military announced the deployment of five battalions — an estimated 5000 soldiers — to occupied West Papua on October 2 to protect key government projects and help the expansion of industrial development.
Indonesian army general Agus Subiyanto said the soldiers will “assist the government in accelerating development and improving the prosperity of the Papuan people”, the Jakarta Globe reported on October 3.
Subiyanto said that the troops will secure key government projects, such as the food security program covering more than 1000 hectares of crops in Merauke Regency, southeastern West Papua, and road construction projects across Papua.
The military will also be involved in land-clearing for the world’s biggest deforestation project to grow sugarcane and rice in Merauke. This is part of Indonesia’s efforts to secure its future food security — President Joko Widodo has described Merauke as Indonesia’s potential “food barn”.
The sugarcane project is a land grab in a region with rich biodiversity — home to half of New Guinea’s bird species and endemic animals — which Indonesia forced through with forged licences and military pressure. It is located next to the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate, which has destroyed millions of hectares of ancestral land over the past decade.
Thousands of Indonesian soldiers were already deployed throughout West Papua, including Nduga, Yahukimo, Maybrat, Intan Jaya, Puncak, Puncak Jaya, Star Mountain and the PNG-West Papua border. The deployment of five battalions is part of a wider militarisation of West Papua, which poses a significant risk to Indigenous Papuan tribes, clans and families.
Indonesia’s hidden frontier wars against the Indigenous Papuans are an insidious agenda masked by the euphemisms of “development”, “prosperity” and “security”.
The Indonesian government’s creation of regencies, districts and provinces in Papua is an important tool for implementing its policy of control and occupation in the region.
Jakarta has divided West Papua into six provinces — Papua, West Papua, South Papua, Mountain Papua, Central Papua and West Papua Daya — 42 regencies and 755 districts. The newly created Indonesian colonial administrative regions were expected to attract large numbers of Indonesian settlers with administrative and technical skills to further Jakarta’s agenda.
Indonesian settlers have already caused a stark demographic disparity in West Papua, which is a major concern for those working to protect the rights of Indigenous Papuans.
Depopulation
The Indonesian population in Papua was 36,000 in 1971, while the Indigenous Papuan population was more than 887,000. By early 2022, there were 2.3 million Indigenous Papuans out of a total population of 5.77 million.
As a result, Indonesian settlers are increasingly influencing parliamentary politics and governance — they control 14 of the 42 regencies in Tanah Papua.
The administrative regions have also caused complex communal conflicts, undermining unity. Human Rights Monitor (HRM) reported that the proposal to build these centres has disrupted local family, clan and tribal networks, undermining their traditional systems of subsistence agriculture, ancestral homelands and Indigenous land tenure.
This situation has shattered trust between family members, clan networks and tribal affiliations, leaving people vulnerable. The Indonesian military exploits the conflicts to advance their colonial ambitions, further dividing Papuan families.
The administrative centres are a method of taking control of West Papuan territory, which are secured by the Indonesian military to crush any Papuans who resist.
Al Araf, Indonesian lecturer at Brawijaya University’s law faculty and a military observer, said that “Papua is still occupied by the Indonesian government as a colony and a conflict zone that needs to be reinforced by military force.”
HRM reports that more than 76,000 Indigenous Papuans are still displaced since the current Indonesian military crackdown began in 2018.
ReliefWebreported that many Papuan children are being born on the run in the jungle; many old and injured people have died and been buried; and young people are being captured, tortured and brutally executed, while their mothers suffer unspeakable abuse and trauma.
World Council of Churches’ Commission on International Affairs director Peter Prove, speaking to a forum held as a side event of the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva on October 1, said that the situation in West Papua “probably qualifies as the worst and longest standing human rights and humanitarian crisis that most people have never heard of — and we haven’t heard of it for a very specific reason”.
“It’s not an accident; it’s a deliberate consequence of the lack of access that Indonesia allows for representatives of the international community to the territory.”
'Slow motion genocide'
The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) held public hearings at the Queen Mary University of London from June 27–29, organised by the Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice in partnership with a coalition of international and Indonesian human and environmental rights organisations.
The PPT details a range of violations committed by Indonesia in West Papua, including: taking Indigenous Papuan land while employing racial discrimination that leads to the loss of Indigenous culture, traditions and knowledge; using violent repression, such as unlawful detention, extrajudicial killing and population displacement, as a means of expanding industrial development; destroying ecosystems, contaminating land and poisoning river systems; and colluding with national and foreign companies to cause environmental damage.
Scholars have described this as “slow-motion genocide” and “cold genocide”, enforced by the substantial Indonesian military forces in West Papua that interfere in almost every facet of Papuan life.
Jakarta’s overarching policy for West Papua is what settler-colonialism scholar Patrick Wolfe has called the “logic of elimination” — the mechanism by which settler-colonial societies seek to eliminate Indigenous populations to gain control of land and resources.
The deployment of five new battalions in Merauke is best understood in terms of Wolfe’s logic of elimination.
West Papua remains an unresolved international issue, having been on the UN decolonisation agenda since the 1950s, prior to Indonesia’s May 1963 invasion. The situation is exacerbated by the international community’s lack of awareness of the continuing plight of West Papuans, whose sovereignty is entangled in the UN decolonisation framework.
It is critical that West Papuans, their allies and UN member states and legal experts unite to challenge the severe and deadly consequences of Indonesia’s illegal occupation.
[Ali Mirin is a West Papuan academic from the Kimyal tribe of the highlands bordering the Star Mountain region of Papua New Guinea.]
