A message from Rex Rumakiek:
Pacific Concerns Resource Centre condemns efforts by Indonesia to silence US Congressman Hon. Eni Hunkin Faleomavaega of American Samoa for his continued criticism of Indonesian policies in West Papuan. For a long time he has been vocal on the denial of the right to self determination for the Papuan people. It is therefore not surprising that he was denied, a visit to West Papua to see for himself and meet the people. The visit had been rescheduled for him to meet only the President and officials in Jakarta including the two Governors of Papua, West Papua and a few selected Papuan leaders. Hon. Faleomavaega was recently appointed the Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Global Environment
The Indonesian government is currently hosting Hon. Eni Hunkin Faleomavaega who arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday 1st July and will leave on Thursday. High on the agenda for the meeting with the Congressman is the situation in West Papua where the government is endlessly trying to implement a Special Autonomy promulgated in 2001 (Law 21/2001). It is now 6 years since the Special Autonomy called OTSUS was implemented. But it failed to benefit the majority and the Papuan people are convinced that it will never work for them. It was only last month that the Council of Churches in West Papua in its 25 pages report had reiterated that the Special Autonomy of 21/2001 had failed. In conclusion the Churches called for International support including the reassessment of the Fraudulent Act of Free Choice of 1969 that delivered West Papua to Indonesia. It is obvious that the government will try to convince Hon. Eni Faleomavaega as they have done at other international fora that after trial and errors for 6 years they have just discovered a magic formula to eradicate the chronic problems in West Papua.
Meanwhile the Police had closed down a big cultural event held at the Sport Stadiumin the Provincial Capital Jayapura attended by 900 delegates representing 250 tribes of the whole country. The event that was to go on for a couple of days rose to chant "Freedom, Freedom" when a dancing group entered the stadium carrying the Papuan resistance and independence symbol the Morning Star flag. It was hoped the visiting Congressman may be able to address the gathering. Unfortunately their Colonial master thought otherwise.
Rex Rumakiek, Assistant Director, Decolonization Desk, PCRC
PACIFIC CONCERNS RESOURCE CENTRE is the Secretariat of the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) Movement.
