An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces.
“A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in his open letter marking the debt protest — “unless that promise is made by the Australian government.”
After the successes of Australian and US troops against the Japanese in New Guinea, the Allies continued the advance through what was then Dutch New Guinea then on to the Philippines.
The first landing was at Hollandia (now Jayapura) in April 1944, which involved the Australian navy and air force.
Aubrey said in his letter:
“The Australian government’s WWII remembrance oath to Papuan and Timorese allies by the RAAF in flyers dropped over East Timor and the island of New Guinea — ‘FRIENDS, WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU!’ — is in reality one of history’s most heinous bastard acts in war
and diplomacy.
“Betrayal is the reality of this blood debt and includes consecutive Australian governments’ treachery and culpability as a criminal accomplice and accessory to six decades of the Indonesian government’s crimes against humanity.
“Barbarity that shames us! Genocide, ethnocide, infanticide, and relentless ethnic cleansing.
Aubrey, spokesperson for Genocide Rebellion and the Free West Papua International Coalition, said that he and supporters were commemorating the Second World War “Papuan sacrifice for us” — Australian and American servicemen and women — four days before ANZAC Day without inviting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese or any government minister [and] without inviting US President Biden.
“To have them with us on this special solemn occasion, while honouring the fact that many of us — children and grandchildren – would not be here if it were not for Papuan courage, loyalty, and sacrifice so steadfastly given to our forebears, would be dishonourable.
‘Heartless complicity’
“We condemn outright their heartless complicity and premeditated exploitation of Papuans in their time of peril. A blood debt not honoured by a single Australian government or US administration!
“Lest We Forget . . . six decades of providing the Republic of Indonesia with an environment of impunity for crimes against humanity — 500,000 victims in Western New Guinea, 250,000 in East Timor [now Timor-Leste after the 1999 liberation].
“Future historians will teach their undergraduates that Australian governments did forget! That Australian governments also contravened Commonwealth and State criminal codes by helping the Indonesian government prevent the legal decolonisation of Western New Guinea and achieve their subsequent unlawful annexation; and by concealing and destroying evidence of the 1998 Biak Island Massacre.
“It is not only a matter of honour and truth, it’s personal. I have only just discovered that my father and my uncle were Australian servicemen in the Pacific Theatre campaigns across New Guinea.
“Honourable Australians and Americans, however, only need to know our duty of care and our international obligations cannot be compromised for political and economic plunder. The victims of crimes against humanity deserve the support and the protection they are by law, by right, and decency entitled to.
“Pacific Island nations look to the East for a relationship of integrity in their international affairs. Who can blame them with Australian governments track record of treachery, dishonour, and their demeaning elitism and history in the genocide of indigenous peoples.”
The first attempt to smuggle 145 frilled lizards and 12 pet brown monitor lizards, packed in a package written as "herb", was made on Friday (April 19), while the second effort was made on Saturday, says the South Papua Quarantine Office Head Cahyono in a press statement received here on Saturday.
In the second attempt, the smugglers delivered a package containing 33 frilled lizards by using a Lion Air plane heading to Jakarta, Cahyono added.
The second package, whose cover was written as "skincare box", failed to be delivered to Jakarta after a Lion Air officer was suspicious and initiated to bring it to the airport's quarantine agency to be checked.
Regarding the first package containing 157 live lizards, Cahyono said the delivery could be foiled by AVSEC officer, Muhammad Ridwan, who operates an x-ray machine at the airport's cargo unit.
Ridwan found that the package contained live lizards that are protected and endemic to Merauke, he said while urging locals to participate actively in preserving Merauke's endemic species of flora and fauna.
"I do deplore the smuggling of our endemic animals and plants. We must protect them in their natural habitats," Cahyono added.
The Papua region remains vulnerable to smuggling and illegal trade of wildlife.
On February 28, 2022, for instance, a joint team of personnel from the West Papua Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) and the Agricultural Quarantine Office foiled an attempt to smuggle 59 endemic birds and reptiles.
Among the protected animals that could have been saved included 15 green tree pythons (Morelia viridis), nine green tree monitors (Varanus prasinus), and 14 monitor lizards (Varanus indicus).
Meanwhile, several endemic birds rescued from the smuggling attempt included a hooded butcherbird (Cracticus cassicus) and a green-naped lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus).
Those animals that are native to Papua and other Indonesian islands would be smuggled through MV Gunung Dempo which is anchored at the port of Sorong City on Feb 28, 2022, according to the Head of the BKSDA-West Papua Office Budi Mulyanto.
The BKSDA-Papua and West Papua Offices continue to protect the provinces' endemic species from the practices of illegal trade and smuggling.
On December 18, 2021, the Papua BKSDA released four endangered birds into their natural habitat.
The agency had released three lesser birds of paradise (Paradisaea minor) and one magnificent riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus) into the Nyei Toro forest of Ravenirara Sub district in Papua District.
Related news: Papua Police arrest two PNG citizens for allegedly smuggling marijuana
Translator: Evarukdijati, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
Elisa Sekenyap, Jayapura – The Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) says it deplores the recent sadistic torture of indigenous peoples of Melanesia in West Papua committed by the Indonesian government through members of the TNI (Indonesian military).
"Unfortunately this horrifying incident is only the latest in the six decades of Indonesian oppression of the people of West Papua", PCC General Secretary Reverend James Bhagwan told Suara Papua on Sunday April 14 via email from Suva, Fiji.
The PCC's statement was conveyed in connection with three Papuan civilians who were tortured by TNI officers in Puncak regency, Central Papua province, a video of which spread widely on social media not long ago.
Bhagwan said that the Indonesian government is a signatory to a number of United Nations conventions, which should guarantee the civil and political rights of its citizens, including West Papuans, regardless of their political ideology or religious beliefs.
"The Indonesian government should also do the same thing under what is called the Special Autonomy Law. However, people who express their rights as indigenous people, express voices that are different from the government, are routinely harassed and tortured brutally", he said.
Bhagwan said it should be noted that Indonesia, which tries to be seen as a respected member of the international community, has been re-elected for another term as a member of the UN Human Rights Council (2024-2026).
"Do countries that supported Indonesia's nomination as members of the UN Human Rights Council say they feel comfortable with these human rights violations?"
"With the end of the meeting of Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) foreign officials and in anticipation of the next meeting of MSG leaders, the question is, how is it that the MSG is able to continue to allow Indonesia, which has policies and practices that demean dignity, weaken and eliminate women's rights, children, Melanesian men and fellow MSG members, remain a member [of the MSG]?"
"Therefore in the name of justice, which is an expression of divine love, and when many of the Pacific peoples are reflecting on the betrayal, arbitrarily arrest, torture, fake trial and execution of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, we call for the suspension, or even the expulsion of Indonesia from the MSG if they do not agree to facilitate a visit by the UN Human Rights [Commissioner] to West Papua", concluded Bhagwan.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Gereja Pasifik Desak MSG Keluarkan Indonesia Jika Tidak Memfasilitasi Komisi HAM PBB Ke Papua".]
Dani Prabowo, Jakarta – The chairperson of Centra Initiative and Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) senior researcher, Al Araf, says that the reuse of the term Free Papua Organisation or OPM will not solve the problems or the conflict in Papua.
"In fact, it will tends to have an impact on the stigmatisation of the people in Papua, and the tendency to use an approach of military operations in overcoming [the problems in Papua]", said Araf said when contacted on Tuesday April 16.
As has been reported, the TNI (Indonesian military) is prioritising territorial operations in Papua by inviting all parties to build and bring prosperity to the people of Papua.
The change of nomenclature from the original term Armed Criminal Group (KKB) to OPM, said Araf, tends to prioritise military operations. Araf added that solving the problems in Papua should prioritise a process of dialogue.
"It's time for a resolution of the conflict in Papua to be carried out in a peaceful way. All parties need to refrain themselves and maintain a ceasefire and step forward to the negotiating table", said Araf.
"A humanitarian pause is needed to resolve the Papua conflict to progress towards an equal space for dialogue", he said.
On Wednesday April 10 sub-district military command (Koramil) commander (Danramil) Aradide Infantry Second Lieutenant Oktovianus Sogalrey was shot dead by the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM) or KKB on the Trans Paniai-Intan Jaya road.
The TPNPB-OPM or KKB have claimed responsibility for the killing. Araf is concerned about an increase in fatalities because of the conflict in Papua.
"This situation should be a sign for the government that the resolution of the Papua conflict needs to use a new approach to resolve it. It's time to abandon the approach of excessive violence in Papua", he said.
Araf said the government sees the Papua issue from a top down perspective and not from a dialogical approach.
"In a conflict area the solution to resolving it should start from an agreement between the parties in the conflict, namely between the government and the Papuan side", said Araf.
Thus, he continued, the solution is a result of an understanding between two parties who are in conflict and there is a good possibility it could go the way of Aceh, referring to the 2005 peace agreement between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the government.
"So far, the approach has been more on the aspect of the economy. While the issue of legal justice for the violence and human rights violations that have occurred has been ignored, and other issues", said Araf.
"So the solution is not comprehensive and not from a mutual agreement, but more top down. So the conflict is never resolved", he said.
Earlier, TNI commander General Agus Subiyanto said that they would no longer refer to armed groups that encourage independence in Papua as KKB.
"Because they themselves call themselves the TPNPB which is the same as the OPM", said Subiyanto during a press conference at the TNI commander's office in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday August 10.
Subiyanto said that the OPM carries out terror and murders Papuan people and members of the TNI and Polri (national police). The OPM also rapes teachers and healthcare workers. Because of this therefore, the TNI will not remain silent.
"I will act firmly against what is being done by the OPM. There is no country within a country", said Subiyanto.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "TNI Kembali Pakai Istilah OPM, Pengamat: Cenderung Pakai Pendekatan Operasi Militer dalam Mengatasinya".]
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