Free Papua Movement (OPM) Regional Commander Yustinus Murib was brutally killed on the day he appeared on Australian TV - November 5, 2003. In a dramatic address to the UN, Indonesia and Australia he had called for peaceful dialogue with the occupying power. Soldiers gloated over his body in a photo released to the Indonesian press. One Indonesian daily, The Jakarta Post, said the soldiers had treated their victim "like an animal they had hunted and killed". "Even in the most brutal of wars such behaviour is intolerable," it added. Nine others were also killed in the attack, including civilians, according to reports.

The call for dialogue has reverberated strongly inside West Papua in the past year. For example, on December 20, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu leaders in Papua united in their commitment to peace and called for dialogue to overcome the sociopolitical problems in Papua.

West Papuans want their country declared a "Zone of Peace". Indonesia has responded with silence, killings, arrests, and by increasing the military presence in the territory.

Indonesian soldiers gloat over the body of Yustinus Murib

East Timor militia leader Eurico Guterres has announced he plans to officially establish a branch of his pro-integration Red and White Defender Front (FPMP) in West Papua. Guterres was convicted of crimes against humanity by Jakarta's ad hoc human rights court on East Timor in November 2002 and sentenced to ten years imprisonment. He remains free pending an appeal.

Guterres, claiming 18,000 members for his new organization, denied he received money or assistance from the Indonesian military as did his Aitarak militia in East Timor. "That's really not true, we are an independent organisation," he said. But he refused to say where FPMP got the money for the 28 branches he said had been established or for shirts designed like the Indonesian flag that he said were given to members.

On top of this, Timbul Silaen, the police chief at the time of horrific militia killings of civilians during East Timor's independence referendum in 1999, was appointed as the new head of police in Papua in December.

Both men have been indicted on crimes against humanity charges by East Timor's Special Panel for Serious Crimes.

Pictured: Militia leader Eurico Guterres (Photo: Jason South)

Yale Law School's Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic released the results of an examination of human rights conditions in West Papua on December 10 last year.

The paper concludes that the historical and contemporary evidence "strongly suggests that the Indonesian government has committed proscribed acts with the intent to destroy the West Papuans . . . in violation of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide."

Lowenstein Clinic team's student leader, Elizabeth Brundige, said: "Recent developments suggest that without significant international pressure, the pattern of violent repression in West Papua is likely to continue." For full text: see Links.

Australian film director Mark Worth died in Jayapura, West Papua on 15th January 2004, aged 44.

Mark's work for the past several years, a new documentary on West Papua - Land of the Morning Star - was premiered on ABC Australian television on 2nd February, and is also due to be screened on RTE television. Unfortunately, Mark was unable to see his film go public.

Of Irish ancestry, he also directed Act of No Choice (1999), a documentary on the now-discredited 1969 independence vote in West Papua.

Radio productions by Mark Worth on West Papua included Inside the OPM (1997) The Mountain is my Mother (1999) and Man of the Morning Star (2002).

Copies of Act of No Choice are available from the office.

The United States Congress restored a ban on International Military Education and Training (IMET) for Indonesia on January 22, just months after President Bush cited a "changed attitude" among legislators that would permit further military cooperation.

The US State Department has also put six current and former Indonesian military officers, including General Wiranto, a leading presidential candidate, on a watch list of indicted war criminals, in effect barring them from entering the United States.

President Bush is anxious to restore full military ties with Indonesia but heightened awareness among US Representatives, in particular of the Indonesian military being implicated in the murder of two US teachers in West Papua in August 2002, has caused a reluctance to fully back the president.

In contrast, there is no restriction on the sale of EU military equipment to Indonesia. The British government is facing a legal challenge - backed by human rights group Tapol and Campaign Against the Arms Trade - which claims the UK is illegally selling arms to Indonesia. They maintain British-supplied tanks, armoured personnel carriers and tactical fighter aircraft have been used in East Timor, Aceh, Papua and the Moluccas during the past four years, despite assurances that British equipment would not be used for internal repression.

Indonesian Army chief of staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu said in December Indonesia was in danger of losing Papua and Aceh due to threats from "modern warfare". Rampant human rights allegations made by foreign parties against the military in the provinces were part of a foreign conspiracy to separate the provinces from Indonesia, he told a seminar.

"If the campaign succeeds, and the United Nations and certain foreign countries step in, it's over [for Indonesia to keep Aceh and Papua]. We are facing modern warfare, which does not use military power in its initial stages. It is much cheaper, yet more effective than conventional warfare," Ryamizard said. There are 9,000 soldiers stationed in West Papua. Source: Jakarta Post, 6/12/03.

The Papua provincial legislative council, meeting in December, and attended by around 1,000 people representing five influential groups - the Papuan women's discussion group, the tribal leaders' group, the local figures' group, the Papuan intellectuals' group and the Papuan youth group - recommended that the central government speed up the establishment of the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) as mandated by the special autonomy law, and revoke controversial Law No. 45/1999 on the partition of the territory into three smaller provinces.

To date, over ninety elected representatives have added their names to our call for Kofi Annan to instigate a review of the UN's conduct in West Papua in 1968-69. See UN Reveiw Campaign.

West Papua Action members held a productive planning meeting on Saturday, 17 January, in Cullenagh, Co. Laois. Thanks to May and Brendan Fingleton for their generous hospitality for the third year in a row.

Congratulations to Anna Doris who ran the Dublin City Marathon in October to raise funds for West Papua Action.

She completed it (her first marathon) in a brilliant time of 3 hours and 39 minutes, smashing her target of 4 hours and raising a total of €1830.78 for West Papua Action.

Pictured: Anna Doris receiving commemorative plaque from West Papua Action

There was standing room only at the West Papua Freedom Gig on Wednesday 29 October in An Cliabhán Folk Club, Parnell Square, Dublin. Hearing a lively mix of trad, comedy and folk, the attendance raised €750 for West Papua Action.

Thanks to An Cliabhán for their generous support!

Pictured: Shane McGowan (guitar) joined Peter Browne (box) and John Joe Kelly (bodhrán, not in picture) to play An Cliabhán gig

The ILAC Library in Dublin was host to an exhibition of photos about West Papua, from 1-23 December. Photos were by Inakia Aja, Mark Doris, Rabea Henze, Bryan Meade and Seán Sourke. Thanks also to Javier Aja, Asa Barrington and Cathy McKenna and the ILAC Library staff.

West Papua Action screened Act of No Choice by Mark Worth (died 15 Jan: see separate story) on 19 November in the Irish Film Institute, which was followed by discussion. Film Australia had originally granted permission to screen Land of the Morning Star. However, they withdrew permission at the last minute and Act of No Choice was screened instead.

Join West Papua Action
If you haven't already done so, please consider joining West Papua Action. You will receive four issues of West Papua News, be notified of events, and strengthen the campaign for human rights and self-determination in West Papua. To join, just send €15 (€5 concession) to West Papua Action, 134 Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7, with your name and contact details. Existing members are requested to ask two people to join the campaign: start with family, friends, work colleagues.

Contribute to West Papua Forum Meetings
All members and supporters are invited to the West Papua Forum, which meets on the first Wednesday of each month in Dublin. This is a particularly useful time to get involved, while Ireland holds the EU Presidency. The next meeting is on Wednesday 7 April from 7 to 8.15pm in Belvedere College, Denmark Street, Dublin 1. (Go to top of O'Connell St., take the first right at Findlater's church: Belvedere College is on the left-hand side of the street, two doors up from Barry's Hotel. Ring bell for entry.) If you can't come to meetings, get in touch with suggestions as to what you can do!

Contact your elected representative
To date, over 90 Irish public representatives have signed up to our call for the UN to review its involvement in the sham public consultation that took place in West Papua in 1969. Ask your TD or MEP to sign up too. Visit the West Papua Action website (westpapuaaction.buz.org/unreview) for more details about the campaign and for a list of TDs and MEPs who have signed up so far.

Buy An Cliabhán's new CD
On Tuesday, 2 December, An Cliabhán recorded a live concert of traditional Irish music, folk, blues and jazz at An Cliabhán Folk Club, Parnell Square. The CD will be available soon. The CD costs €10 and all proceeds go to West Papua Action. To order a copy, email wpaction@iol.ie or tel. 01 860 3431.
Pictured: An Cliabhán management trio Martin, Geoff and Des

Display your Free West Papua bumber sticker
Break the silence on the obliteration of a people, and keep the issue alive with the public and with politicians, by displaying your Free West Papua bumper sticker prominently.To order more bumper stickers, contact West Papua Action.