Does Indonesia want War in West Papua?

For many years General Tadius Magay Yogy lead his guerrilla members to fight Indonesia’s rule form the jungle of West Papua. But when Soeharto's regime collapsed, he decided to declare that his region, Paniai, is a zone of peace. He decided that the Independence of West Papua should be achieved by peaceful means.

However, as the years have gone by since then, the Indonesian authorities have not showed goodwill to recognize the wish of the West Papuans. The killing is continuing. Many West Papuans have been sent to jail and many people now are running away into the bush.

The Indonesian military is still planning to kill all West Papuan leaders who oppose their plans.
Here I would like to report about the latest information from Paniai.

On Monday 6th June 2005 the Indonesian special forces (Kopassus) were sent
into several villages around Paniai district. The villages targeted were: Wagete, Monemany, Komopa and East Paniai (Bibida).

24 Kopassus personnel were sent to each village. Their duty was to find a way to kill Mr. Tadius Magay Yogi and his followers.

Kopassus are trying to bribe villagers to kill Mr Yogi with a reward of 1Million Rupiah. However, the villages have not agreed to this. People are afraid to move freely with signs of War near their door.

Mr.Yogi told me to that if the Indonesian army want war, we are ready. He said that if he is attacked, he will not hold to his commitment that Paniai is a peace zone. "If the Indonesian army want to sell War, we will buy it" he said.

With that, we, on behalf of West Papua People's National Coalition for Independence, would like to appeal to the United Nations Secretary General and the International community to send a peace keeping force to West Papua before the end of this year.

The people of West Papua right now are preparing for mass peaceful protest. However, the Indonesian authorities will respond to peaceful protest with violence like they have done in every protest in West Papua.

The people of West Papua will no longer tolerate the political lies of the Indonesian government and its puppets who are carrying out their project in West Papua.

The people of West Papua are gaining more and more attention from the UN and the international community to bring back the Justice which was stolen from us during the
implementation of Act of Free Choice 1969.

This gross mistake must be corrected in the name of Freedom, Peace and Justice.

The West Papuan people are dying and have no access to their own land. The future of the Melanesian race in West Papua is in danger. We must be saved from racism and suppression by another race.

Thank you for your support
Note: By Jonah Wenda, West Papua People's National Coalition for Independence