Tension in Papua

[Wingy]

If the West Papuans want to be independence from Indonesia and claim they have been victims of decades of human rights abuses by the Indonesian government, then United Nations need to let them vote for their independence & put Indonesian government on trial for such abuses of human rights to go on without consequences.

Assuming this webpage may be blocked but @Dan there are moves before the UN Free West Papua - 36 Asian organisations submit memorandum to UN for West Papuan self-determination

There have been many moves in trying to get Indonesia to let the UN in with freedom of movement and association. They will take them where they want and let them talk to who they want.

The Ni Vans from Vanuatu are working very closely to help. They have a fair bit of experience in getting their independence from a dual French and English complicated system and have advised a different department of the UN for the latest attempt.
'Not allowed': Why nearly 2 million people are demanding an independence vote for West Papua
UNPO: West Papua: Petition Calling for Self-Determination Handed Over to UN

As far as the US - I found your comment somewhat smug. So you're fine with hey we got a big lot of $ out there just waiting to be ripped out of the ground - we will just get the Indo's to wash the blood off it before it touches our hands?

 

[chillyinCanada]

I am curious as to how the independence is supposed to work.

Second to last time I was diving from liveaboard at Raja Ampat out from Sorong, one of the other boats had an overboard passenger in the middle of the night. 2 days later the Indonesian government was still searching he surface for her. Will the Indonesian government still act for Papua in instances such as this? What will independent Papuan's use for their currency? How will they ensure their independence and not be overly influenced by other countries and/or companies with or without Papuans' best interests in mind?

 

[Centrals]

East Timor use Greenback.
Vultures are always around a newly born nation!

 

[Wingy]

PNG use Kina their own currency since independence from Australia in 1975. It's not an easy or slow process and will require multi government and multi agency assistance in pre Independance planning and long term goal orientated steps most likely with supervisory hand over periods conducted by a third party government. I'd hope one of the human rights development think tanks that exist but play a very very background role would be involved. As Centrals said, $ talk. Who they choose as their "big brother" will come down to economics - hopefully the PNG and NiVans would steer them away from Chinese but both countries have Chinese trade deals along with other countries. PNG are heavily invested in by Origin for example.
Australia has just had to redraw maritime borders and re negotiate the % of $ from the Timor Leste oil fields - we more than got our money's worth for stepping in to help their fight for Independance - we've got an army and allies but you will repay us in oil for a couple of decades until other countries notice. I dated a guy working on rigs off Timor - I recall him saying how much they were ripping off the Timorese. The wages paid to one rig sandblaster flying up from Aus equaled what 6 Timorese workers would get so they replaced a lot of workers with crews of Timorese. Suited the companies just fine.

The one thing that gives me a bit of hope are the NiVans being involved. They're big supporters of Independance and have a saying about learning their history as a culture backwards..starting from Independance and forgetting about forever as someone's bitch. Back to before Europeans arrival. Personally I'd like PNG and West Papua to be one, but there are many obstacles before that could ever happen due to tribal conflicts. Proportionately less people from PNG have been exposed to cities and multiple cultures which I'd assume would be frustrating for both sides to become one.

Their are step by step blueprints for how to hand over a country - but you pay for the right to read them.

As far as your other questions centred on LOBs - who knows. A port is a valuable asset for any country, whether Sorong is most profitable for dive or shipping copper remains to be seen. You night have to depart from Bitung!. Search and Rescue - if in Indonesia's waters, it's Indonesia's problem, in Papuan waters - Papuas problem though you find the law of the sea is hard for any seafarer to ignore so I'd hope flags would be ignored.

Independence of Papua New Guinea, 1975 - Fact sheet 261 – National Archives of Australia, Australian Government

 

[chillyinCanada]

I'm also concerned about marine conservancy.

 

[Centrals]

The least investment from china the better for the recipient country.

 

[Wingy]

Concerns about Marine conservation, LOB departures......having dived PNG and Papua I can guarantee you the PNG side is far cleaner and has better fish stocks and 1/50th of the trash in the water other than in moresby near the shacks.

If Papua wins its Independance its up to LOB Owners and someone with a lot of years of experience, a very good knowledge of the region and established track record in getting things done to win the trust of the people some great things could happen. Or, after Independance they might say get out of our waters if you're flying an Indonesian flag and you'll have to go dive the Phillipines. Or, nothing may happen and that will be the worse thing for marine conservation.

More and more LOBs and day boats filled with happy divers - more engines in the water. Huge demand for more aircon wifi resorts - more trees gone, carbon emissions from machinery involved in building, more Phinisi - more logging, more people heading to Indo to frolic = more refuse ending up in the sea. So theoretically, the lack of tourists would result in a cleaner marine environment.

What I wonder about is the Papuan home stays - are there Indonesian land owners behind them and what happens when/if the Papuans achieve Independance - will Papuans be expelled from Indonesia?

 

[chillyinCanada]

I wasn't on the boat that she leapt/fell from. We were just aware of it. Of course, kinda keeping an eye out too but didn't seem to interfere with our itinerary.

I think we were posted up near them on the night it happened.

 

[Centrals]

What I wonder about is the Papuan home stays - are there Indonesian land owners behind them and what happens when/if the Papuans achieve Independance - will Papuans be expelled from Indonesia?

Retribution from both sides. I hope it won't be another repeat eg. the partition of India or Pakistan(East and West)!
Was there much expulsion since the formation of East Timor?

 

[Jay]

And it's not just multinationals who might be scruplally challenged ... quote from the article below:

"Mr Gusmao has told Four Corners his evidence is likely to embarrass previous Australian governments in relation to the 2004 intelligence operation in which the Dili offices of the prime minister Mari Alkatiri were bugged by Australian foreign agents during treaty negotiations over oil and gas in the Timor Sea."

Former judges speak out over secretive Witness K, Collaery whistleblower cases

and here's a good read about the roles Australia and the US played.

US cables suggest Howard government didn't support 1999 Timor mission