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Buildup of Indonesian troops in West Papua
11 August 2000
CamPeace
Buildup of Indonesian troops in West Papua
I am writing to you again on behalf of CamPeace, a peace group based in Cambridge,
England. We have received emails from Charles Scheiner the UN representative of the
International Federation for East Timor (IFET) and from the Federation of Peoples
Close to Nature (FPCN). An editorial encompassing these reports appeared yesterday in the
Australian newspaper 'Age'. We are very concerned about the buildup of militias in
West Papua, which we perceive together with other peace groups as a move from the
Indonesian Army to justify a military crackdown in the province. The recent deployment of
6,500 extra troops in West Papua appears ominously as a preparation for a military
crackdown.
Please urge your government to caution the Indonesian government against the use of
force in Papua/Irian Jaya. Please ask the Indonesian government to ensure that the
Indonesian Army is not training or supporting the militia in West Papua. On the 7th
of July, Amien Rais, Chairman of the Indonesian People's Assembly warned that 12,000 firearms
had entered West Papua. The following day, the Police commander in West Papua general
Wenas verified that 12,000 firearms had indeed been smuggled into West Papua. Those responsible must be found and brought to justice and the firearms must be found
and destroyed or removed from the province.
Apparently, the Free Papua Movement (OPM) has no knowledge of the entry of the firearms
in West Papua. It has itself declared to follow an entirely peaceful campaign since
the fall of dictator Suharto and has not caused any violence since that time. Papuans throughout the province are fighting a non-violent campaign for a redress of past
massive human rights violations and for recognition of their rights, including their
right for self-determination accorded by the 1961 New York Agreement and other UN
resolutions. Incitement of violence by the Indonesian military or other forces would derail
the dialogue and could lead to an armed suppression of the peaceful campaign.
Cambridge Campaign for Peace (CamPeace), England.
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