History repeating?

Australia was directly complicit during Indonesia’s long and brutal occupation of East Timor. West Papua is little different:
“The Indonesian military is using the same tactics of terror in West Papua that were employed during its bloody reign in East Timor, and Australia should step in to mediate a peace settlement, warns separatist Herman Wainggai.

“Mr Wainggai, the leader of the 43 asylum-seekers who arrived in Australia two weeks ago, said ongoing abuses by the Indonesian military, often in cahoots with militias, were terrifying the indigenous community.

“‘It’s the same as with East Timor,’ he told the Herald yesterday from Christmas Island, where the asylum-seekers are being processed by immigration officials. ‘They have created militias and jihadis in West Papua. The people, and especially activists for independence, are very scared.'”

For more information on the “Free West Papua” movement, see here.

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