West Papua sacrifices just as important as Anzac bravery

COMMENT BY MITCHELL BLAND 

AS Australia celebrates its historic partnership with New Zealand and commemorates lives lost through war, our Pacific partners in West Papua and their plight for independence must also be remembered.

Australian World War II diggers and the 'Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels' fought and died together on the harsh terrain of Kokoda where an unbreakable connection between the two island nations was forged.

Now, over 60-years-later, the deeply oppressed West Papuans are urging Australia and the international community for help in their struggle for self-determination, against Indonesia. 

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West Papuan independence leader, International Spokesman for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) and founder of the Free West Papua Campaign Benny Wenda is now asking Australia to return the favour.

"It is our time of need and I really hope that our Australian family could help to spread the message and support my people against the occupation of our country," he said.

“It is very tragic for my people that the government of Australia has ignored our 50 year long suffering for increased military and economic ties with Indonesia."

Although Australia often takes the moral high ground on international issues, the countless human rights violations and continuing atrocities towards the indigenous West Papuan's has largely been ignored.

Considering that West Papua is one of Australia's closest neighbours, the lack of support from Australia and the International community, is both puzzling and complex.

The limited media coverage is partially due to a media blackout imposed by Indonesia, as no foreign journalists are allowed into the country, West Papua is one of the most underreported armed conflicts in the world.

"The Indonesian government does not want the world to find out the truth about what is really happening in West Papua but when journalists finally get access they will be able to see the true genocide and illegal occupation we West Papuans are facing," Mr Wenda said. 

Although there are no official statistics it is estimated that there have been anywhere between 100,000 and 500,000 West Papuan casualties through what has been called a creeping genocide.

The Neglected Genocide Report on Abuses in Papua, launched by the Asian Human Rights Commission reported that between 1977 and 1978, the Indonesian military carried out aerial attacks in the central highlands of West Papua, using two Australian helicopters, killing over 4,000 people.

Mitchell Bland – Sunshine Coast Daily