'Nothing can stop a people who have decided to be free'

- South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu

The people of West Papua have been struggling for freedom and dying under military rule for nearly 40 years. Freedom in West Papua is often equated with independence but it also refers to people's desire for concrete improvements in their life; everything from wanting to 'straighten history' to land rights, respect for indigenous traditions and tangible improvements in health, welfare and education. For the record I do not take a position on independence. As outsiders I believe we do not have that right. Nor will we live with the consequences.

An independent state is one possible milestone in the long struggle for freedom. Independence might solve some problems but it will not solve all problems. While I do not take a position on independence I am unapologetically and resolutely committed to supporting self-determination for the people of West Papua. West Papuans have never had the opportunity to freely determine what political arrangement best supports their aspirations. This may well be an independent state but it could also be something like the special autonomy package earmarked for West Papua, free association, a land rights based approach, some sort of federal arrangement or even something else that reflects indigenous beliefs and traditions. The most important thing is that West Papuans get to decide their own future themselves. This booklet is based on the premise that the role of Australians who want to stand up for West Papua is not to support an outcome we think is best but to support West Papuans' concrete aspirations and throw our energy behind just and peaceful processes for change: self-determination, upholding human rights, and working to protect the living land West Papuans depend upon.

Introduction

For nearly four decades, West Papuans have endured an illegal and often brutal occupation by Indonesia's military forces. The plight of the West Papuan people is similar to that of the East Timorese. In 1999 Australia stood up for the East Timorese. It is time we did the same for the West Papuans.

Given the long, largely forgotten and seemingly intractable conflict in West Papua let me begin with a preposterous claim: despite the impression of Indonesia's monolithic invincibility, in reality Indonesia's rule in West Papua is fragile and can be overturned.

Indonesia's occupation of West Papua is extremely vulnerable on two counts. Firstly, repression breeds dissent. Jakarta's response to resistance is not to address underlying Papuan grievances but has always been more repression, sometimes overt, increasingly covert. Sometimes fear descends and open rebellion dissipates. But in the hearts and minds of Papuans, dreams of freedom are nourished and take root. Jakarta knows this. Consequently, while the core causes of the conflict remain unresolved, Indonesian rule in West Papua cannot be maintained without repression on a near continual basis. Yet each act of repression only stokes the fires of dissent and deepens feelings of alienation amongst West Papuans. With each human rights violation West Papua slips further through Jakarta's fingers. The legitimacy of Indonesian military rule in West Papua is further eroded and exposed by the resolute peacefulness of West Papuans, who continue to seek peaceful ways to resolve the conflict even when faced with state sanctioned violence.

Secondly, Jakarta is utterly dependent on diplomatic, military and economic support from international elites to maintain the occupation: diplomatic recognition of the fraudulent 1969 Act of Free Choice, multinational corporate investment, and military aid to the Indonesian military. In turn, Jakarta's western allies like the Australian government and Australian-based corporations depend on ordinary people - workers, soldiers and ordinary citizens to carry out their policies. In many cases the cooperation of these groups of people is tenuous and could be withdrawn.

International grassroots withdrawal of support for Indonesian military rule in West Papua will weaken the legitimacy of the regime and strengthen the struggle for freedom. This small booklet encourages you to play your part and suggests where to focus efforts to support change. Jakarta and Canberra want your cooperation to maintain what is an illegal and often brutal occupation maintained by military force. By standing up for West Papua you will add your strength to a people determined to be free.

In this website the Indonesian regime in West Papua is described as an occupation because that seems the most accurate word to describe the reality. When I refer to Indonesian military rule in West Papua I refer to a policy and system of rule, not the people. I love and respect Indonesian people and have always found them to be warm, hospitable and unfailingly friendly.

West Papua: an issue whose time has come
In 1999 Australians did themselves proud and stood up for the East Timorese. It's time we did the same for the West Papuans...