| West Papua:Maire Leadbeater: West Papua's 'Arab Spring' |
| Environment |
It was not in the headlines, but our neighbourhood has had its own 'Arab Spring'. The Melanesian people of Indonesian-controlled West Papua, have shown the same determination to pursue non-violent struggle as their counterparts in Egypt and Syria. Source
A 5000 strong Papua National Congress took place over three days in a Jayapura field ringed with menacing armoured riot control vehicles and heavily armed police and soldiers. It was led by Forkorus Yaboisembut, the Chair of the Papuan Customary Council, who is highlighted on the Indonesian military's leaked watch list of dangerous 'separatists'. As the Congress came to an end on October 19, Forkorus read a Declaration of Independence first penned in 1961, prior to the Indonesian take-over of the territory. He then announced that he had been elected to be the "President" of the "Democratic Republic of West Papua". |
