Indonesia urged to end violence in West Papua
0 
The Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment,. Rep. Eni F.H. Faleomavaega called on Indonesia to end violence and resolve the problems in West Papua during a hearing on West Papua issue on Sept. 22, 2010.
He held a hearing entitled "Crimes against humanity: When will Indonesia's military be held accountable for deliberate and systematic abuses in West Papua?" This was the first hearing ever held in the U.S. Congress on the issue of West Papua.
He expressed his disappointment that Indonesia has failed to implement Special Autonomy in West Papua and that Indonesia president has not been able to get his military under control and prevent further abuses in West Papua.
He said that the people of West Papua have suffered long enough at the hands of Indonesia's brutal military and police forces, and many experts suggest that West Papuans have been subjected to genocide.
"Whether or not genocide has taken place, one thing is clear. Indonesia's military has committed indisputable crimes against humanity through the murder, torture and rape of more than 100,000 West Papuans," the Chairman added.
He dismissed the assumption made by the Indonesia's Ambassador to the U.S., Dino Patti Djalal that few U.S. Congress members were concerned about issue of West Papua.
He has joined with more than 50 Congress members to urge President Obama to put the West Papua issue at the top of his agenda when he visits Indonesia. He also believed that Obama will seek a dialogue on this issue during his visit.
He also said that West Papua issue is not an issue of territorial integrity because West Papua was once a Dutch colony for some 100 years.
In 1962 the U.S. pressured the Dutch to turn over control of West Papua to the United Nations. Under the U.S.-brokered deal, Indonesia was to 'make arrangements with the assistance and participation of the United Nations' to give Papuans an opportunity to determine whether they wished to become part of Indonesia or not."
In 1969 West Papua was forced to become a part of Indonesia according to the Act of No Choice.
