Friday, July 12, 2002 03:59:07 AM

Date: 01 Jul 2002 07:14:44 AM 
Author: West Papua Association - UK 

Subject: 'Special Autonomy' a smokescreen - time to reject it 

Comment: With the degree of assassinations, violence and threats towards leaders, activists, and Human Rights workers NOW in West Papua, surely this enough to insist that so-called 'Special Autonomy' is not working, and that other changes i.e. self determination are required to safeguard the main priority i.e. the safety and security of Papuans. 'Special Autonomy' was a convenient sop to wave at overseas Governments, and more importantly for those Governments to use in response to anyone raising issues about the Indonesian Government and West Papua. Thus it has been used to deflect criticism, and to confuse about what's going on there We should not accept it, because for the West Papuans it is a smokescreen behind which an intensified, targeted campaign of assassination, violence and intimidation is taking place. We need to take this up with our own Governments. There was a delegation of about 10 EU ambassadors to West Papua in early March, to look at the prospects for Special Autonomy.

One member of the delegation told me that the prospects are not good, implementation laws are a long way off, and that the delegation got a strong message that West Papuans reject Special Autonomy, and want self determination. The delegation report is confidential. Why? If the UK Foreign Office is to be believed about what's in the report, the delegation has let the West Papuans down badly. In terms of gauging the success of Special Autonomy, what was success supposed to look like? There are no criteria, there is no timeline So surely the current situation, which is indeed an emergency one, is indicative that it has failed. I urge people to take this issue up with their Governments, as they hide behind 'Special Autonomy' as the answer to the 'problem' of West Papua. The problem is the illegal occupation, the free hand the Indonesian military has to wreak whatever violence it chooses against the West Papuans, and complicit governments continuing to support 'integration' for their own gain. We should not fall for the Special Autonomy rubbish, or give it any credence. It is a time waster, for the systematic attempt destroy West Papuan resistance. We must see through it and reject it, completely and urgently.