May 15, p7

The opening of the Papua separatist organization's Free Papua Movement (OPM) office in Oxford, UK, has been met with a mixed reaction.

Some are calling on the Indonesian government to take tough action against the British government while others stand up for the right of freedom of expression.

This issue, however, demonstrates the inability of the Indonesian government to counter the second-track diplomacy conducted by exiled pro-independence Papuan activist Benny Wenda and more importantly, the impact of this situation on the future of peaceful dialogue between the central government and the Papuan people.

The opening of the OPM office is consistent with Wenda's campaign for Papuan independence, which he has led for more than a decade since he left Papua for the UK in 2002. (By Hipolitus Yolisandry Ringgi Wangge and Agustinus Kambuaya, Chicago, Illinois/Jayapura)

Your comments:

It´s good to see West Papua getting more and more international attention, not just around Oxford.

And it is not just the foreign people who can´t be blinded forever, but also more and more Indonesians see the crimes against humanity there.

As more people around the world are aware of the situation in Papua, it becomes more likely that the pressure on the Indonesian Military (from inside and outside RI) will increase and so they will at last accept that they can´t keep their power.

Markus Hagenauer

Papua is still indeed a less developed area in Indonesia despite its vast natural resources. And most of its inhabitants still live in remote tribal villages, hunting and foraging. It is a sad situation indeed, so it's understandable when some Papuans love the idea of being an independent nation.

However to accuse Indonesia of severe human rights violations might not be valid either.

There are no massive war activities there. Most people can still do their daily activities normally. They even have two professional football clubs.

And the military also are subject to mysterious shootings. Not just the military. Even foreigners and non-Papuan Indonesians also get killed in these shooting, which are likely to have been carried out by the rebels.

I am not in favor of the repressive approach of the military and government there. But I also find it difficult to believe such 'bombastic' accusations by these pro-independence and pro 'human rights' activists.

Rio Rivai

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