2023-07-05
Indonesia’s President Widodo’s visit to Australia has ignited a pressing demand for an open and honest conversation about the ongoing West Papua crisis. With the 25-year anniversary of the Biak Massacre on 6th July, it serves as a stark reminder of the need for truth and accountability.
Since his election in 2014, President Widodo promised social reform for West Papua. However, the situation has only deteriorated, resulting in escalating tensions and deepening divisions between the Indonesian Government and the West Papuan people.
Almost 54 years since the ironically named ‘Act of Free Choice’ referendum for West Papuan independence, the human rights abuses, colonialism and impunity for the Indonesian military have continued. Successive Australian governments have remained silent and inactive.
We know that the Australian Defence Force has concealed war crimes committed by Indonesian military police in West Papua. The Australian Government Defence Intelligence Report, dated July 17 1998, uncovers an investigation conducted by an Australian military attache and intelligence officer, shedding light on the massacre of West Papuan men, women and children by Indonesian defence and security forces on Biak Island.
The hostage-taking of Phil Mehrtens by the West Papuan Liberation Army has raised significant concerns, and while Greens strongly condone this abhorrent act, it underscores the desperate cry for international attention towards the West Papuan crisis, and Australia must actively engage.
The Australian Greens will continue to call for an opportunity for the indigenous West Papuan people to participate in a free, democratic process to decide their own future.
Lines attributable to Senator Steele-John, Australian Greens spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Peace & Nuclear Disarmament :
“The Australian Greens are calling on President Widodo to allow unfettered access to West Papua for United Nations officials and foreign journalists, as well as drop charges against political prisoners. For the Australian Government to continue to stay silent is to condone these abuses.”
“The Greens recognise that the indigenous people of West Papua should have the opportunity to democratically decide their own future in accordance with international standards of human rights and the principles of international law.”
“The government and ADF decision-makers must be held accountable for concealing the truth about the Biak Massacre.”
“Being complicit in covering up human rights abuses is on our region is shameful. Without the ability of West Papuans to exercise self-determination, stability and peace in the region will remain elusive.
“We watched as the Prime Minister & Foreign Minister championed President Modi during his visit to Australia, whilst the diaspora of the minority Indian community shared their concerns and fears. The Labor Government must not let this visit be the same if they want a free, peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region.
“Friends must be able to talk frankly when they disagree and President Widodo must be included in that.”
Lines attributable to Senator David Shoebridge, Australian Greens spokesperson for Defence
“Tomorrow marks 25 years since the devastating Biak Massacre which saw Indonesian defence and security forces torture and kill West Papuan men, women and children yet we are still no closer to finding out details of the attack and our government remains silent.
“The Australian Defence Force must come clean about what it knows about the atrocities that took place 25 years ago and tell what they know about war crimes by the Indonesian military in West Papua.
“We know that an investigation took place and evidence was gathered and provided to Defence but we are yet to see any of those findings.
“Allegations that Defence has destroyed photographic evidence are deeply troubling and require a detailed response from the ADF.
“West Papuans deserve justice, transparency and access to the truth and we support them in these calls.
“The Greens are calling for full transparency of Australia’s role in training Indonesian military units and the suspension of any funding for units found to be involved in human rights abuses.”
Media Contacts
Steele-John - Sophie Greer
Shoebridge - Siavosh Sahebi 0433 212 071
Key points:
- Joko Widodo says his government will continue to try negotiate with the separatist group holding Philip Mehrtens
- Ahead of his trip to Papua, Mr Widodo said the government has used "significant actions" to try to secure Mr Mehrtens's release
- Authorities are having trouble getting a local leader to the remote highland area where Mr Mehrtens is being held because no pilots will risk flying there
Philip Mark Mehrtens — a pilot for a charter plane company — was ambushed by rebels after he flew to a remote airstrip to drop off some passengers and pick up a group of construction workers.
The rebels then destroyed the plane, and have released several videos of Mr Mehrtens since. While an unsuccessful attempt by Indonesia's military to rescue him in April led to between one and six deaths, according to conflicting reports.
Mr Widodo's visit to the regional capital Jayapura is officially related to a festival, but it comes as his government tries to use what it calls "cautious" negotiations to free the 37-year-old.
Ahead of his departure for a three-leg trip taking in Australia, Papua New Guinea and then Papua, Mr Widodo said the government had used "significant actions" to try to secure Mr Mehrtens's release, but declined to reveal them.
He reiterated that his government would continue to try negotiate with the separatist group holding Mr Mehrtens.
Indonesia's military has pledged to involve religious and local leaders to try to convince the rebels to peacefully let Mr Mehrtens go.
This week police revealed for the first time they had set aside up to $500,000 for a potential ransom payment, if required.
Police spokesman Ignatius Benny Any Prabowo said the rebel leader holding Mr Mehrtens, Egianus Kogoya, requested the ransom amount not long after kidnapping Mr Mehrtens in February.
Previously the rebel group had only publicly demanded independence for Papua as the condition to release Mr Mehrtens.
The commander of Indonesia's National Armed Forces, Admiral Yudo Margono, also said this week he would not oppose the payment of a ransom to resolve the matter, and said he would leave the negotiation process to a local political leader.
But he also said getting the local leader, Edison Gwijangge, to the remote highland area where Mr Mehrtens was being held in central Papua was not easy because no pilots were willing to risk flying there.
Complicating matters too is a statement from the West Papua National Liberation Army rejecting that the rebels who kidnapped Mr Mehrtens demanded a ransom.
The group is the umbrella organisation waging a decades-long armed struggle for independence in Papua.
"We don't have many demands. Our only condition is that New Zealand is willing to sit down and talk with us so we can convey our feelings," West Papua National Liberation Army spokesperson Sebby Sambom said.
"The location for the meeting with New Zealand can be determined later, as well as the meeting with Jakarta … we will send a team of facilitators.
"After that, we can arrange the release of the pilot, because our commander in chief has agreed to release him."
New Zealand working with Indonesia
A spokesperson for New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the ABC "the welfare of Mr Mehrtens is our top priority".
New Zealand officials are "doing everything we can to secure a peaceful resolution and Mr Mehrtens's safe release, including working closely with the Indonesian authorities and deploying New Zealand consular staff", they said.
"We are also supporting Mr Mehrtens's family, both here in Aotearoa and in Indonesia.
"They have asked for privacy at this incredibly challenging time".
During Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s visit to Australia this week, all eyes have been on government efforts to improve economic and security ties. Jokowi, as the President is known, sees Australia as a partner in his drive for Indonesia to move up the economic value chain and become an electric vehicle hub, while Albanese’s priority will be ensuring Jakarta is, at the very least, not opposed to Canberra’s efforts with the United States to balance and deter China’s growing military power.
An essential ingredient for any strong bilateral relationship is practical cooperation underpinned by interests. So, the focus on economic, climate and security cooperation is as it should be – even if there are differences in how each country view US-China tensions.
Governments also set the tone, and there has been no shortage of warmth between leaders and senior ministers.
But despite the flourishing bromance between Albanese and Jokowi, an uncomfortable question has long nagged from the background of the Australia-Indonesia relationship.
Do Australians and Indonesians trust each other?…………………….
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