The Wire

One of the most overlooked conflicts in the world over the last forty years has been the independence struggle in West Papua. Since the Indonesian government took control of the region in the 1960’s, they have kept a tight grip on the resource-rich area, leading to conflicts as independence groups, such as the Free West Papua guerilla movement, have waged struggles against them. While the plight of the East Timorese has been a prominent issue in Australian foreign policy, West Papua has managed to stay off the radar, partly because of Indonesian restrictions on journalists. Earlier this year, the Australian government recognised Indonesia’s territorial integrity as they worked towards a new security agreement, completely ignoring the human rights abuses that have occurred under the occupation. Joe Collins, of the Australian West Papua Association Sydney, spoke to the wire’s Bill Birtles about the current state of human rights in West Papua.