There are historical, political and economic reasons why Indonesia wanted and still wants to rule West Papua. It is necessary to understand these reasons because of the way they work to reinforce Indonesia’s determination to retain West Papua even if it leads to gross human rights violations.

The Indonesian consensus is that West Papua is part and parcel of the territory of the Republic of Indonesia, an area that included the entire former Dutch East Indies, from ‘Sabang to Merauke’. For many Indonesians, West Papua is a place of exile for nationalist heroes who resisted Dutch rule. The territory became, in academic Ben Anderson’s words, a ‘sacred site in the national imagining’ and it still remains a rallying point for Indonesian nationalism. Current Indonesian president Megawati Sukarnoputri recently said that ‘… without Irian Jaya (the former Indonesian name for West Papua), Indonesia is not complete’. Many Indonesians still perceive Indonesia as the liberator of West Papua.

Politically, Indonesia was a nation imagined and created in the context of a liberation struggle against the Dutch. The concept of an Indonesian state was always grounded in political struggle. Indonesian liberation fighters resolutely resisted appeals to nationalism based on ethnicity or religion. West Papua is considered an integral part of the Indonesian State precisely to demonstrate that Indonesia is a political concept, not based on religion or ethnicity.

West Papua is a land of unbelievable wealth. It has extensive mineral deposits including nickel, gold, copper as well as oil, natural gas, valuable tropical timber and fisheries. Whilst a potent combination of colonial history and nationalism motivated Indonesia’s initial push into West Papua, continued occupation is sustained by the abundance of natural resources and the high levels of wealth this generates for Indonesian and international corporate, government and military elites. Up to 70-80% of the Indonesian military’s budget is generated by military owned and run businesses. Legal foundations, legitimate businesses and illegal activity such as extortion, drug-running, gun-running, prostitution, illegal logging, illegal mining, illegal fishing and the smuggling and sale of flora and fauna, all finance the Indonesian military. On one hand the Indonesian military sees itself as the defender of the nation and on the other hand it operates like a mafia who will do anything to protect its economic interests.

These historical, ideological and economic factors coalesce, making Indonesia’s elites determined to hold onto West Papua at all costs. West Papua is as one Indonesian diplomat said to me, ‘something to die for’.

In reality it has become something to kill for.

Why Australia supports Indonesian military rule in West Papua

Australian foreign policy towards Indonesia has always been pragmatic and ambivalent. Australia supported the 1975 invasion of East Timor and for 24 years insisted that the former Portuguese colony was an inseparable part of Indonesia. In 1999, as a result of massive public outcry Australia reversed that policy and sent in troops to protect the East Timorese from the orgy of violence unleashed by the Indonesian military. Failing to learn the lessons of East Timor Australians continue not only to turn our backs on West Papuans, but kick them while they are down.

During the 1950s Australia supported the notion of unification between the two halves of New Guinea, even going as far as signing a joint statement on development and self-determination with the Dutch in 1957. John Kerr (who later became Governor General) proposed a Melanesian federation that united the two halves separated by an artificial border. By 1962, however, Australia had executed a 180-degree policy back-flip, even forcibly detaining West Papuan dissenters to Indonesian rule who sought sanctuary in what was then Australian New Guinea. The underlying factor that characterises these policy contortions has always been the eagerness of political and corporate elites to put their own interests above those of ordinary people and if necessary protect these interests by military force.

The Australian government currently supports continued Indonesian rule over West Papua for three reasons. Firstly, as the most populous Muslim country in the world Indonesia has become a much wooed ally in the so called 'war on terror'. In this regard ordinary Australians and ordinary Indonesians have much in common; we are both resisting elite support for a 'war' that is eroding civil liberties and escalating conflict.

Secondly, Australian corporations, particularly in the mining sector, have invested heavily in Indonesia. Corporate profits speak louder than justice.

The third reason Australia supports Indonesian military rule in West Papua is strategic. Any conflict in West Papua will inevitably affect regional stability. The Australian government supports Indonesia in an attempt to keep the lid on regional tensions. Ironically, though, it is the international community's unwillingness to confront and help resolve the causes of conflict in West Papua that is fuelling tensions in this troubled and beautiful land.

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Justice denied!
In May 1969, at the request of the Indonesian government Australian officials arrested and detained Willem Zonggonau and Clemens Runawery, two West Papuans who tried to travel to New York to protest against the conduct of the United Nations...