The Australian

July 14, 2004

US ‘concern’ over West Papua

Documents released by the US’ national security archive are expected to add fuel to legal claims by West Papua that its annexation was illegal.

The 120 pages of documents, reported on by SBS Television’s Dateline program tonight, showed the 1969 Act of Free Choice vote was seriously flawed.

The documents reported on the hand-selecting of local officials by the Indonesian government, massive intimidation and the killing of civilians, Dateline said.

One US State Department report said the Indonesian government “has no intention of allowing West Irian to choose other than incorporation into Indonesia”.

Another document written by State Department officials said: “Indonesia could not win an open election (in West Papua).”

The documents are expected to boost the hopes of the Free West Papua Movement, OPM (Organisesi Papua Merdeka), which is seeking independence.

Indonesian ambassador to Australia, Imron Cotan, told Dateline he was not surprised by the documents.

“There is no new information as far as the Indonesian government is concerned,” Mr Cotan said.

“We should not apply current standard of norms to judge the past events.”

Mr Cotan said he stood by the Indonesian government’s action to quell the independence movement.

“Any responsible government should take stern actions against rebellions wherever they occur,” he said.

“It’s responsible for my government to take action against those rebels.

“If they are killed, that is one of the consequences they have to face.”

Mr Cotan also rejected a recent move by 20 US senators calling for the United Nations to appoint an envoy to inquire into the situation in West Papua.

“We will not in any way or shape let the senators of any particular country to rewrite our history,” he said.