West Papua


West Papua was first conquered by the Dutch who, along with the USA and UN, supported the Indonesian invasion via the so called Act of Free Choice in 1969. Papuans have been killed in their thousands and many more tortured and jailed. Why? Because Indonesia, backed by European and American mining giants (including BP, Freeport and Rio Tinto) seek to exploit the country's rich supplies of gas, copper and gold.



Papua's spectacular natural beauty, which includes rainforests to rival the Amazon, is also under threat from global logging companies.


“Nobody gave a thought to the fact that there were a million people
who had their fundamental human rights trampled”

Former UN Undersecretary-General Chakrvarthy Narasimhan,
speaking about the UNs role in 1969

The future looks grim as the U.S resumes aid to the brutal Indonesian
military and the massacres of East Timor could very well be repeated.
Urgent action is needed to prevent a magnificent people, eco-system and culture being unnecessarily destroyed.

HISTORY REPEATING…..

- An estimated 300,000 (25%) dead!
- Mass 'planting' of Indonesian 'settlers'!
- Language & music banned!
- Native spirituality denied!
- Ongoing plunder of rare rainforests!
- Introduction of Jihad war + HIV!
- Creation of false borders!

More information on West Papua can be found on the New Internationalist website at
www.newint.org/issue344/contents.htm

Audio interview with magazine editor:
http://www.newint.org/audio/344chris.ram

To see a 40 minute online movie on West Papua - check:
http://www.fpcn-global.org/films/index.php

Media resource (photos & facts):
http://www.fPcN-global.org/display/index.php