"Indonesia ’s territorial integrity" is just a bloody map
“ Indonesia ’s territorial integrity”
… it’s just a bloody map.
Richard Samuelson, Co-Director,
Free West Papua Campaign, Oxford , UK
16th October 2007
“The English follow the principle that when one lies, one should lie big, and stick to it. They keep up their lies, even at the risk of looking ridiculous.” Nazi Propaganda Minister, Josef Goebbels, 1941
For nearly 40 years, a succession of Generals in Jakarta, from Suharto to Yudhoyono, together with their fellow conspirators in London, Washington, Canberra and the Hague, have told a very big lie; that the people of West Papua chose feely to join Indonesia in the 1969 “Act of Free Choice”. And by repeating the lie over and over again they’ve hoped that people would eventually come to believe it.
The truth is Indonesia ’s greatest enemy. The Indonesian, British, American, Australian and Dutch governments all know the truth; In 1969 Suharto’s henchmen put their rifles to the heads of 1,026 West Papuan elders and threatened to blow their brains out if they voted for independence. They all know the truth that if the West Papuan people had been given a genuine one person - one vote referendum they would have voted overwhelmingly for independence. And they also all know the truth that the only way Indonesia can hold on to West Papua now is by repressing peaceful Papuan dissenters like Filep Karma & Yusak Pakage, jailed for 15 & 10 years for peacefully raising the West Papuan flag.
Indonesian embassies all over the world are spending millions of rupiahs in a desperate attempt to prevent the truth from coming out. But it’s money down the drain. Indonesia is loosing the battle. However many independence campaigners Indonesia imprisons, tortures, intimidates or kills inside West Papua, all the money in the world can’t stop West Papuans in Britain, the USA, Australia or the Netherlands from simply telling the truth.
Indonesia’s big West Papua lie is now so obviously a lie that it has become too embarrassing for Indonesia ’s Western allies to repeat the lie itself. You won’t now hear a British government Minister trying to defend the “Act of Free Choice”. In fact the UK government now calls it “extremely flawed” [1] and has even officially admitted that in 1969 “a thousand hand-picked Papuans were largely coerced into declaring for Indonesia”.[2]
But while the UK and Indonesia ’s other Western co-conspirators don’t now tell the big lie themselves, they are nevertheless still trying to protect the lie from the truth’s corrosive power. Now, when anyone (whether an ordinary citizen, Member of Parliament or even David Cameron, Leader of the Opposition in the UK Parliament [3]) asks the British Foreign Secretary any question about West Papua’s right to self-determination, the Foreign Office sends up a smoke screen to try to protect Indonesia’s big lie. They say the UK “respects Indonesia ’s territorial integrity”.
Question: In the 1969 “Act of Free Choice”, were the West Papuan people allowed to exercise their internationally-recognised right to self-determination in accordance with international law?
Answer: The United Kingdom government respects the territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia .
Question: The UK has already admitted that the West Papuan people were “coerced” into joining Indonesia in 1969, so isn’t it the logical conclusion that the West Papuans should now be given the chance to vote in a free and fair self-determination referendum?
Answer: The United Kingdom government respects the territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia .
Question: Now that Indonesia has signed up to the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights, should the West Papuan people be allowed to campaign peacefully for independence, or is it still OK for Indonesia to jail them for 15 years for peacefully raising the West Papuan “Morning Star” flag?
Answer: The United Kingdom government respects the territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia .
“Respecting Indonesia ’s territorial integrity” is blatantly not an answer to these questions which would stand up in any court of law. The Foreign Office’s answers would be laughable if their consequence wasn’t so serious for the West Papuan people suffering under Indonesian oppression. Very sadly, it’s all too clear that by repeating the “territorial integrity” mantra over and over again the UK and Indonesia’s other Western friends are simply avoiding giving answers in order to protect Indonesia’s big lie … and at the same time, of course, protect British economic interests (BP is collaborating with the Indonesian government on a huge natural gas project in West Papua. Rio Tinto has a share in one of the world’s biggest gold & copper mines in the West Papuan highlands.)
So it’s high time to prick the “territorial integrity” bubble once and for all by exposing what “ Indonesia ’s territorial integrity” actually means. It’s just a bloody map.
Indonesia claims West Papua because it says that every square mile of the Far East which the Dutch grabbed,Indonesia should now be allowed to grab too. From Sumatra to New Guinea, every island or part of an island which used to be coloured Dutch orange on the old maps, should now, they claim, be coloured Indonesian red. Indonesia ’s argument means that one old Dutch Empire should simply be replaced by a new Javanese Empire.
“Indonesia‘s territorial integrity” is just a bloody map. How can a bloody map justify the oppression of a million and a half Melanesians? How can a bloody map justify the Indonesian military imprisoning, torturing, raping, terrorising and murdering West Papuan men, women and children? How can a bloody map justify the use of State violence and terror to keep a people inside a country they simply don’t want to be part of?
A generation ago, the British in India, the French in Algeria and the Dutch in Java were prepared to shed innocent Indian, African and Indonesian blood in a vain attempt to keep the map of the world coloured as they wanted. Just like Indonesia is now doing in West Papua, the British, French and Dutch Empires were prepared to use violence to keep people within their imperial territory against their will … to “protect their territorial integrity”.
“Indonesia‘s territorial integrity” is just a bloody map … and it’s a map drenched in the blood of at least 100,000 innocent West Papuans, murdered during 45 years of brutal Indonesian occupation.
The big lie that the West Papuans chose freely to join Indonesia in 1969 has now been exposed. It’s so obviously a lie that democracies like the UK are now too ashamed to repeat it. And “Indonesia‘s territorial integrity” is just a bloody map. It’s now time for the Western democracies to admit that people are more important than maps; that the era of using violence to keep people inside an Empire against their will is over.
It’s time to put the people of West Papua first. At long last, it’s time to allow the West Papuans the chance to determine their own future.
[1] Baroness Royall ( UK government spokesperson), House of Lords debate on West Papua , 8th January 2007.
[2] Baroness Symons ( UK Foreign Office Minister) House of Lords, 13th December 2004. Confirmed in a letter from Jack Straw, UK Foreign Secretary, 4th February 2005.
[3] On 24th August 2007, David Cameron, Leader of the Opposition in the UK Parliament & Leader of the Conservative Party, met Benny Wenda, Leader of the West Papuan independence movement in the UK . Mr Cameron promised that he would “probe the [ UK ] government on West Papua ’s right to
self-determination”.
In reply to his “probing” so far, the UK Foreign Office has simply repeated to Mr Cameron that “the UK government respects Indonesia ’s territorial integrity”.
… it’s just a bloody map.
Richard Samuelson, Co-Director,
Free West Papua Campaign, Oxford , UK
16th October 2007
“The English follow the principle that when one lies, one should lie big, and stick to it. They keep up their lies, even at the risk of looking ridiculous.” Nazi Propaganda Minister, Josef Goebbels, 1941
For nearly 40 years, a succession of Generals in Jakarta, from Suharto to Yudhoyono, together with their fellow conspirators in London, Washington, Canberra and the Hague, have told a very big lie; that the people of West Papua chose feely to join Indonesia in the 1969 “Act of Free Choice”. And by repeating the lie over and over again they’ve hoped that people would eventually come to believe it.
The truth is Indonesia ’s greatest enemy. The Indonesian, British, American, Australian and Dutch governments all know the truth; In 1969 Suharto’s henchmen put their rifles to the heads of 1,026 West Papuan elders and threatened to blow their brains out if they voted for independence. They all know the truth that if the West Papuan people had been given a genuine one person - one vote referendum they would have voted overwhelmingly for independence. And they also all know the truth that the only way Indonesia can hold on to West Papua now is by repressing peaceful Papuan dissenters like Filep Karma & Yusak Pakage, jailed for 15 & 10 years for peacefully raising the West Papuan flag.
Indonesian embassies all over the world are spending millions of rupiahs in a desperate attempt to prevent the truth from coming out. But it’s money down the drain. Indonesia is loosing the battle. However many independence campaigners Indonesia imprisons, tortures, intimidates or kills inside West Papua, all the money in the world can’t stop West Papuans in Britain, the USA, Australia or the Netherlands from simply telling the truth.
Indonesia’s big West Papua lie is now so obviously a lie that it has become too embarrassing for Indonesia ’s Western allies to repeat the lie itself. You won’t now hear a British government Minister trying to defend the “Act of Free Choice”. In fact the UK government now calls it “extremely flawed” [1] and has even officially admitted that in 1969 “a thousand hand-picked Papuans were largely coerced into declaring for Indonesia”.[2]
But while the UK and Indonesia ’s other Western co-conspirators don’t now tell the big lie themselves, they are nevertheless still trying to protect the lie from the truth’s corrosive power. Now, when anyone (whether an ordinary citizen, Member of Parliament or even David Cameron, Leader of the Opposition in the UK Parliament [3]) asks the British Foreign Secretary any question about West Papua’s right to self-determination, the Foreign Office sends up a smoke screen to try to protect Indonesia’s big lie. They say the UK “respects Indonesia ’s territorial integrity”.
Question: In the 1969 “Act of Free Choice”, were the West Papuan people allowed to exercise their internationally-recognised right to self-determination in accordance with international law?
Answer: The United Kingdom government respects the territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia .
Question: The UK has already admitted that the West Papuan people were “coerced” into joining Indonesia in 1969, so isn’t it the logical conclusion that the West Papuans should now be given the chance to vote in a free and fair self-determination referendum?
Answer: The United Kingdom government respects the territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia .
Question: Now that Indonesia has signed up to the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights, should the West Papuan people be allowed to campaign peacefully for independence, or is it still OK for Indonesia to jail them for 15 years for peacefully raising the West Papuan “Morning Star” flag?
Answer: The United Kingdom government respects the territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia .
“Respecting Indonesia ’s territorial integrity” is blatantly not an answer to these questions which would stand up in any court of law. The Foreign Office’s answers would be laughable if their consequence wasn’t so serious for the West Papuan people suffering under Indonesian oppression. Very sadly, it’s all too clear that by repeating the “territorial integrity” mantra over and over again the UK and Indonesia’s other Western friends are simply avoiding giving answers in order to protect Indonesia’s big lie … and at the same time, of course, protect British economic interests (BP is collaborating with the Indonesian government on a huge natural gas project in West Papua. Rio Tinto has a share in one of the world’s biggest gold & copper mines in the West Papuan highlands.)
So it’s high time to prick the “territorial integrity” bubble once and for all by exposing what “ Indonesia ’s territorial integrity” actually means. It’s just a bloody map.
Indonesia claims West Papua because it says that every square mile of the Far East which the Dutch grabbed,Indonesia should now be allowed to grab too. From Sumatra to New Guinea, every island or part of an island which used to be coloured Dutch orange on the old maps, should now, they claim, be coloured Indonesian red. Indonesia ’s argument means that one old Dutch Empire should simply be replaced by a new Javanese Empire.
“Indonesia‘s territorial integrity” is just a bloody map. How can a bloody map justify the oppression of a million and a half Melanesians? How can a bloody map justify the Indonesian military imprisoning, torturing, raping, terrorising and murdering West Papuan men, women and children? How can a bloody map justify the use of State violence and terror to keep a people inside a country they simply don’t want to be part of?
A generation ago, the British in India, the French in Algeria and the Dutch in Java were prepared to shed innocent Indian, African and Indonesian blood in a vain attempt to keep the map of the world coloured as they wanted. Just like Indonesia is now doing in West Papua, the British, French and Dutch Empires were prepared to use violence to keep people within their imperial territory against their will … to “protect their territorial integrity”.
“Indonesia‘s territorial integrity” is just a bloody map … and it’s a map drenched in the blood of at least 100,000 innocent West Papuans, murdered during 45 years of brutal Indonesian occupation.
The big lie that the West Papuans chose freely to join Indonesia in 1969 has now been exposed. It’s so obviously a lie that democracies like the UK are now too ashamed to repeat it. And “Indonesia‘s territorial integrity” is just a bloody map. It’s now time for the Western democracies to admit that people are more important than maps; that the era of using violence to keep people inside an Empire against their will is over.
It’s time to put the people of West Papua first. At long last, it’s time to allow the West Papuans the chance to determine their own future.
[1] Baroness Royall ( UK government spokesperson), House of Lords debate on West Papua , 8th January 2007.
[2] Baroness Symons ( UK Foreign Office Minister) House of Lords, 13th December 2004. Confirmed in a letter from Jack Straw, UK Foreign Secretary, 4th February 2005.
[3] On 24th August 2007, David Cameron, Leader of the Opposition in the UK Parliament & Leader of the Conservative Party, met Benny Wenda, Leader of the West Papuan independence movement in the UK . Mr Cameron promised that he would “probe the [ UK ] government on West Papua ’s right to
self-determination”.
In reply to his “probing” so far, the UK Foreign Office has simply repeated to Mr Cameron that “the UK government respects Indonesia ’s territorial integrity”.
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.activism.progressive/browse_thread/thread/4bb1e4f969058396/f2ba8dceb27990a7
WEST PAPUAN TORTURED TO DEATH BY INDONESIAN SOLDIER IN LEREH (JAYAPURA-WEST PAPUA)
Translation from Cenderawasih Pos Newspaper
http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/utm.php
Last night family members of Rudi Pagawak (23 years old) were at the Indonesian regional military headquarters. They were there to question the death of Rudi. Rudi who worked for PT Sinar Mas Plantation company, was tortured to death by an Indonesian soldier named sergeant SK from the Indonesian regional headquarters 172/PWY (Jayapura).
The torture took place in front of the Indonesian military post in Lereh, Jayapura regency on Thursday, 1/11/2007 at around 18.00. Rudi died 3 hours after getting medical treatment at Sinar Mas health clinic. According to eye witness, Beni Kenila, the incident happened when Rudi Pagawak (victim) and his friend, Jepo (both of them are staff or PT Sinar Mas Plantation company) wanted to make phone call to their families from Wartel Koperasi Sinar Mas (a telecommunication service point) at Eko 6 location.
However, Rudi could not make any phone calls because there weren’t any phone pulse credits available at the telecommunication service point. Finally, Rudi and his friend looked for another telecommunication service point, Wartel Ridom which was also located within the plantation company area. “When Rudi walked passed the military post, he didn’t ask permission to the military post commander. Also when he walked passed the military post, he turned twice to look at the military post commander. Because of suspicion, the military post commander called him”, said Beni to Cenderawasih Post at the Indonesian regional headquarter last night.
Beni, who works as security guard for Sinar Mas Plantation company, said that when Rudi came, the Indonesian soldier slapped his face. Rudi could not accept this action so he opposed that. Then, the Indonesian soldier took Rudi to a water tank beside the military post and dunked him inside the water tank.
According to Beni, Rudi has lost conciosness after being dunked inside the water tank. Then, Rudi (the victim) was taken to Sinar Mas health clinic. However, at the time Rudi was unconscious. After a few medical checks by the clinic nurse, Rudi passed away at 22.00.
Yuri Weya, a security guard for Sinar Mas Plantation company, was also an eyewitness. He is also a relative of Rudi Pagawak. Yuri said that the incident began at 5pm on Thursday, 1/11/2007 when Rudi and one his friends were on their way to make phone calls at the telecommunication service point. “The telecommunication service point is near the military post”, he said. When they walked past the military post, Rudi and his friend didn’t greet the military pos commander. “Perhaps, the military commander was offended so he called them. When Rudi and his friend arrived at the post, the military commander immediately tortured them without questioning or saying anything to them”, said Yuri.
Rudi was slapped 3 times on his right ear. Afterwards they were tortured. Rudi and his friend were dunked for 15 minutes inside a pond which is located beside the military post. At that time, Rudi was in pain and told the soldier (who dunked them) that he couldn’t bear anymore.
“The information that I was able to get from Rudi was that he was tortured by the military post commander named sergeant SK, and he was dunked inside the pond that cause him pain.” “Then, he was taken to the health clinic”, said Yuri at Papua provincial hospital morgue in Dok II Jayapura.
The families and relatives of Rudi Pagawak could not accept his death so yesterday (Friday, 2/11/) they took Rudi Pagawak’s body to the Indonesian regional military headquarter 172/PWY in Padang Bulan Abepura to demand the responsibility of the person who caused his death. Later, they took Rudi’s body to the provincial hospital in Dok II Jayapura for an autopsy. Until last night many of Rudi’s families, relatives and friends were still at the military headquarter.
“We as heads of Dani tribe in Lereh, demand that the person who has killed one of our people must be brought to court. We demand that he should lose his position as a military soldier. This wasn’t he first time he committed violence to people, he did it very often. One of the family members said “During his appointment at Lereh, he had many similar cases”. Using the opportunity at the regional military headquarters, he demanded that not only the person who killed Rudi’s should be fired but also he demanded that the regional military commander withdrew all the military personnel who are stationed in Lereh. “The presence of military in that location has made life very difficult for the local people”, he said.
Colonel Kav Burhanuddin Siagian *, regional commander of 172/PWY when questioned on the incident admitted the incident. To follow up the case, the soldier has been arrested and is being held at the military police post POMDAM XVII/Trikora waiting for legal process. The regional commander said, “Clearly we will not cover or protect any members that commit crime/falsehood. Certainly, the soldier has been arrested and has been sent to the military police for further legal process”. The commander further added that in relation to this incident his organisation is still in the process of gathering and collecting information including information from the soldier. In his answer, the soldier had admitted the crime. However, whatever he [the soldier] has said, he is wrong so he will get punished.
According to the military commander, what was committed by the soldier was already over acting and was over the limit. His organisation never taught any soldier to act like that. In fact, TNI members should obey 8 TNI obligations when they interact with the people.
When questioned about the demands of the people who came to the regional headquarters, the commander said that he respected their aspiration because they were polite, well organised, gentle and were very kind. However, after giving explanation to them, they could understand very well and knew what problems they were facing. (cak/mud). Izak/mnur/Cenderawasih Pos.
* FREE WEST PAPUA CAMPAIGN (UK) Note:
Col. Burhanuddin Siagian, who commands the TNI’s 172 Military District based in Jayapura, has been indicted for Crimes Against Humanity in East Timor.
So far he has never faced prosecution.
WEST PAPUAN TORTURED TO DEATH BY INDONESIAN SOLDIER IN LEREH (JAYAPURA-WEST PAPUA)
Translation from Cenderawasih Pos Newspaper
http://www.cenderawasihpos.com/utm.php
Last night family members of Rudi Pagawak (23 years old) were at the Indonesian regional military headquarters. They were there to question the death of Rudi. Rudi who worked for PT Sinar Mas Plantation company, was tortured to death by an Indonesian soldier named sergeant SK from the Indonesian regional headquarters 172/PWY (Jayapura).
The torture took place in front of the Indonesian military post in Lereh, Jayapura regency on Thursday, 1/11/2007 at around 18.00. Rudi died 3 hours after getting medical treatment at Sinar Mas health clinic. According to eye witness, Beni Kenila, the incident happened when Rudi Pagawak (victim) and his friend, Jepo (both of them are staff or PT Sinar Mas Plantation company) wanted to make phone call to their families from Wartel Koperasi Sinar Mas (a telecommunication service point) at Eko 6 location.
However, Rudi could not make any phone calls because there weren’t any phone pulse credits available at the telecommunication service point. Finally, Rudi and his friend looked for another telecommunication service point, Wartel Ridom which was also located within the plantation company area. “When Rudi walked passed the military post, he didn’t ask permission to the military post commander. Also when he walked passed the military post, he turned twice to look at the military post commander. Because of suspicion, the military post commander called him”, said Beni to Cenderawasih Post at the Indonesian regional headquarter last night.
Beni, who works as security guard for Sinar Mas Plantation company, said that when Rudi came, the Indonesian soldier slapped his face. Rudi could not accept this action so he opposed that. Then, the Indonesian soldier took Rudi to a water tank beside the military post and dunked him inside the water tank.
According to Beni, Rudi has lost conciosness after being dunked inside the water tank. Then, Rudi (the victim) was taken to Sinar Mas health clinic. However, at the time Rudi was unconscious. After a few medical checks by the clinic nurse, Rudi passed away at 22.00.
Yuri Weya, a security guard for Sinar Mas Plantation company, was also an eyewitness. He is also a relative of Rudi Pagawak. Yuri said that the incident began at 5pm on Thursday, 1/11/2007 when Rudi and one his friends were on their way to make phone calls at the telecommunication service point. “The telecommunication service point is near the military post”, he said. When they walked past the military post, Rudi and his friend didn’t greet the military pos commander. “Perhaps, the military commander was offended so he called them. When Rudi and his friend arrived at the post, the military commander immediately tortured them without questioning or saying anything to them”, said Yuri.
Rudi was slapped 3 times on his right ear. Afterwards they were tortured. Rudi and his friend were dunked for 15 minutes inside a pond which is located beside the military post. At that time, Rudi was in pain and told the soldier (who dunked them) that he couldn’t bear anymore.
“The information that I was able to get from Rudi was that he was tortured by the military post commander named sergeant SK, and he was dunked inside the pond that cause him pain.” “Then, he was taken to the health clinic”, said Yuri at Papua provincial hospital morgue in Dok II Jayapura.
The families and relatives of Rudi Pagawak could not accept his death so yesterday (Friday, 2/11/) they took Rudi Pagawak’s body to the Indonesian regional military headquarter 172/PWY in Padang Bulan Abepura to demand the responsibility of the person who caused his death. Later, they took Rudi’s body to the provincial hospital in Dok II Jayapura for an autopsy. Until last night many of Rudi’s families, relatives and friends were still at the military headquarter.
“We as heads of Dani tribe in Lereh, demand that the person who has killed one of our people must be brought to court. We demand that he should lose his position as a military soldier. This wasn’t he first time he committed violence to people, he did it very often. One of the family members said “During his appointment at Lereh, he had many similar cases”. Using the opportunity at the regional military headquarters, he demanded that not only the person who killed Rudi’s should be fired but also he demanded that the regional military commander withdrew all the military personnel who are stationed in Lereh. “The presence of military in that location has made life very difficult for the local people”, he said.
Colonel Kav Burhanuddin Siagian *, regional commander of 172/PWY when questioned on the incident admitted the incident. To follow up the case, the soldier has been arrested and is being held at the military police post POMDAM XVII/Trikora waiting for legal process. The regional commander said, “Clearly we will not cover or protect any members that commit crime/falsehood. Certainly, the soldier has been arrested and has been sent to the military police for further legal process”. The commander further added that in relation to this incident his organisation is still in the process of gathering and collecting information including information from the soldier. In his answer, the soldier had admitted the crime. However, whatever he [the soldier] has said, he is wrong so he will get punished.
According to the military commander, what was committed by the soldier was already over acting and was over the limit. His organisation never taught any soldier to act like that. In fact, TNI members should obey 8 TNI obligations when they interact with the people.
When questioned about the demands of the people who came to the regional headquarters, the commander said that he respected their aspiration because they were polite, well organised, gentle and were very kind. However, after giving explanation to them, they could understand very well and knew what problems they were facing. (cak/mud). Izak/mnur/Cenderawasih Pos.
* FREE WEST PAPUA CAMPAIGN (UK) Note:
Col. Burhanuddin Siagian, who commands the TNI’s 172 Military District based in Jayapura, has been indicted for Crimes Against Humanity in East Timor.
So far he has never faced prosecution.
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