West Papuan Human Rights
Reverend the Hon. Dr GORDON MOYES: Tonight I draw the attention of honourable members to the important issue of West Papua—its independence movement, human rights, the persecution of the indigenous church and the land’s native people. The gold and copper mines of West Papua are economically vital to the nation of Indonesia. The American Freeport mine alone is Indonesia’s largest taxpayer, and is reported to be worth $US1.2 billion. As a result, the issue of independence for West Papua is a volatile political subject amongst Jakarta’s political decision-makers. Regardless of the fresh rhetoric of the nation’s President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, it is apparent that his Government is pursuing a policy of divide and conquer in West Papua that is aimed at irreversibly stifling the persecuted independence movement. Regardless of the fresh rhetoric, the persecution is continuing.
Despite establishing the Papuan People’s Assembly in October 2005 under the Special Autonomy Law, the Indonesians have since created a new province of West Papua and are calling elections for a governor with far-reaching executive power. These acts show disregard for the legal power of the People’s Assembly—the only body that has any ability to ease the heightened tensions. It also makes the task of a democratic, non-violent movement for independence more difficult for native Papuans. All of this is occurring alongside the continual program of relocating boatloads of Indonesians from the highly populated Java to Papua. Sister Susan Connelly of the Mary Mackillop East Timor Institute recently estimated that more than 1,000 Javanese are being moved into West Papua every week.
Information from Christian aid organisations in the region are reporting that in the past six months troop and police numbers have been substantially increased in West Papua to the point that there is now in excess of 40,000 army and police personnel—that is about one for every five inhabitants of West Papua. We as a nation need to draw a line in the sand against the ongoing genocide and Islamisation of West Papua’s Christian Melanesian population at the hands of an overzealous military and a program of unsustainable internal migration. On 16 March this year a peaceful protest by university students against the exploitation of their resources by the Freeport mine resulted in a large number of tribal rebels hacking to death six Indonesian police.
In retaliation for the deaths of six Indonesian police, the full force of the Indonesian military descended on the area, destroying property, searching homes and dormitories, detaining scores of people, and murdering a still unknown number of Papuans—the number may be as high as 16. Hundreds are thought to still be hiding in the jungle in fear of more retribution from the Indonesian police. The Australian church has taken a leading role in increasing community awareness and political pressure on the issue of West Papua. It has become even more desperate as we see the heightened persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters so close to our home.
A number of Christian groups should be mentioned here, including the Christian World Service of the National Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches, and the many non-government organisations and missions operated by Uniting, Catholic, Anglican and Baptist churches. We also recognise the work of the Evangelical Church of Indonesia, with its more than 2,000 congregations, about 1,800 of which exist in West Papua. We want to encourage the leadership of that church as they stand for non-violent and democratic resistance and for condemnation of the tactics of violent rebels and the Indonesian militia, military and police alike.
Members would know of the firm stand that the Christian Democratic Party has taken over the years on the rights of freedom of religious expression, practice and assembly. At the most recent Christian Democratic Party annual convention a motion, led by Mr Eric Jones, was passed on the issue of political and human rights abuses in West Papua. As a party, we called upon the Federal Government to make formal representation to Indonesia to implement true autonomy in West Papua; to increase the level of aid we provide to West Papua; to request that the Indonesian Government reduce the number of Indonesian troops in West Papua; and to bring greater international attention to human rights abuses in West Papua.
The Christian Democratic Party supports the decisions already being made by the Australian Government in dealing with the issue of West Papua. We commend the brave decision of Prime Minister Howard and his Government to grant temporary protection visas to 42 Papuans who had fled military persecution and come to Australia. Following recent events, we may need to be prepared for the arrival of more such refugees. It is highly regrettable that, as a result of our Government’s stance, major newspapers in Jakarta this week have printed lurid cartoons of John Howard and Alexander Downer. It is the prayer of Australian Christians everywhere that a lasting solution will be found to the escalation of violence and fear in West Papua and that principles of democracy and human and religious rights will be protected. 30 March 2006.
