The story of West Papua's fight for de-colonisation will be never ending

The story of West Papua's fight for de-colonisation will be never ending 

I moved with my parents to our village in Green River, West Sepik in mid 1990.

For almost three decades my parents lived in Amanab, just north of Green River.

It was quite an experience for me adapting to life in the village that is situated about less than 20 mins drive from Green River government station and several kilometres from the PNG/Indonesia border.

Some of the care free life adventures I enjoyed though were going fishing, hunting for 'ton' in the jungles and swimming at the pristine Green River that meanders from Kambriap in the far north and quite near the PNG Indonesian border through to my village and then to the Sepik River, at Yabru village.

I recall sometimes I felt a bit apprehensive when we used to have Indonesian military helicopters heard flying over and then the sounds fade.

They were quite regular.

One one Sunday during church service we literally saw a helicopter and hear its sound- I think it was like a Chinook hovering around the Kambriap area.

At that time there was quite a heated guerilla ambushes and attacks between the Indonesian military and West Papua freedom fighters.

The borders were not quite as opened today.

We believe they were looking for OPM guerilla fighters.

It was at that same year refugees at Amanab, Green River and Vanimo (Black Wara) were repatriated back to their districts in West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya).

In Green River, there were reports of villagers along the Sepik coming across dead bodies of Indonesian military floating down the Sepik River presumably killed by OPM rebels around the Patom and Huhi areas.

I heard it from elderly men who were trustworthy village leaders.

This week we hear reports about Indonesia launching an oppressive against the West Papua Freedom fighters (formerly identified as OPM).

SBS International TV in Australia has reported about this.

In Papua New Guinea, a Facebook video that has gone viral, has a group in military camouflage and weapons, identifying them as 'Sepiks' have claimed to be now fighting with the West Papua Freedom fighters to kick out Indonesia and ultimately declare Independence.

"That's their ultimate goal."

The PNG police and military officials are investigating the viral video because the PNG government's political stance on West Papua issue is that 'it is an internal issue for Indonesia.'

Though Melanesian countries like Vanuatu has openly declared its position that Indonesia must afford Independence to West Papua.

You see, the issue of West Papua is complex and will be never ending.

The energy and campaign option be it protests, guerilla ambush and war or media releases and attendance to world meetings to garner support will not cease.

This is their cry from the heart.

But in my view they need to fight as 'one'.

And not necessarily taking up arms.

They must talk and discuss. No matter how long it takes.

War must not be an option.

What should Papua New Guinea do?

The report about Papua New Guineans supporting the West Papua Freedom fighters could trigger Indonesia to step up its presence at the border and with the border already opened up, innocent PNG citizens can be caught in between.

I just received information from my uncles back in Green River that they bring their sun dried cocoa beans through the Hauser River and then to a country Indonesian post.

They say roads there are prefect and small sedans pick them up where the river ends and they get off.

Indonesia has really built attractive infrastructure along its border from Jayapura to the mid highlands, west of places like Green River, Yapsie, Tumolbil and Telefomin.

These infrastructure and improved services are like bright city lights for PNG citizens at the border where service delivery as compared to Indonesia is poor.

While the PNG government sees West Papua issue as 'internal' its people at the border from Vanimo to Western Province can be caught in a cross fire when the political war escalates and the government must do everything it can to protect the people.

• Develop the border region so that people are not attracted to Indonesia

 

• Step up military, customs and police presence to stop any illegal border crossing for people to join the freedom fighters

 

• Government must proactively engage in dialogue to settle the West Papua issue once and for all. The country and its people will be caught in between in any circumstance