West Papua Report

November 2009
This is the 66th in a series of monthly reports that focus on developments affecting Papuans. This series is produced by the non-profit West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) drawing on media accounts, other NGO assessments, and analysis and reporting from sources within West Papua.

This report is co-published with the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) Back issues are posted online
http://etan.org/issues/wpapua/default.htm

The Indonesian Military (TNI) missed a legislatively imposed deadline to surrender to the civilian government its vast legal and illegal business empire, which includes sometimes rogue business operations in West Papua. Continued attacks on the U.S. gold mining firm Freeport McMoran raises questions about the efficacy of Indonesian security forces and the justice of arrests of Papuans months ago for the attacks. Papuans are pursuing a lawsuit against Freeport McMoran for environmental destruction and human rights violations. Papuan democratic activists face arrest and death threats. President Yudhoyono's new cabinet includes one Papuan and a General with a troubled record in West Papua. Violence targeting Papuans continues in the Central Highlands. HIV/AIDS is epidemic among Papuans due in large measure to the failure of the Indonesian Government to provide adequate health services to Papuans.

TAPOL's Carmel Budiardjo published a thoughtful essay that among other issues looks at prospect for a dialogue between the Indonesian CentralGovernment and Papuans.