Indonesian cash silenced Pacific Islands Support for West Papua

A few years ago President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia pledged $1 billion AUD to fight West Papuan efforts in the Pacific Islands. That promise is now a reality in 2022. In 2016, 16 countries used the UNGA to speak of the alarming number of human rights violations in West Papua. They called on the UN to do more to investigate the allegations of human rights violations in West Papua, and to bring violators to justice. Six years later, only one country mentioned West Papua, the Marshall Islands. President David Kabua urged the UNHRC to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in West Papua and reminded the UN of its 2030 goal. The rest of the PIF members chose to adopt a “silent approach,” meaning, they didn’t mention West Papua, but they didn’t speak up in support of the Indonesian claim over West Papua either. That is not right.

Today, China and Indonesia are handing out cash to these cash-strapped developing countries to reshape and remake or reshape their country. Indonesia, in particular, is spending millions of dollars trying to silence any support for West Papua in the Pacific region, and it appeared to be succeeding.

It is sad for us here at the West Papua Human Rights Center, but we understand that money has a way of changing people’s perspectives and ideas. They say something today, and something totally different the next day.

We urge our brothers and sisters in the Pacific, not to give up on us.

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