The Fourth International Solidarity Meeting (ISM) on West Papua took place in Brussels (North Component) and Auckland (South Component) in June and in August respectively. The first such meeting took place in The Netherlands in 2000, and was followed by meetings in Germany (2001) and in England (2002).

The New Zealand meeting took place from 8-10 August just before the annual meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Delegates confirmed unequivocal support for the right of the West Papuan people to self-determination, condemned the renewed military operations and the deterioration of human rights in West Papua while affirming the West Papuan proposal to declare the territory a "Land of Peace". It was decided to reinvigorate existing campaigns such as the campaign to get the United Nations to review its actions at the time of the discredited "Act of Free Choice", the campaign to get the United Nations to re-inscribe West Papua on the list of non-self-governing territories, and the call for international military sanctions against Indonesia.

An effective protest vigil was organized as country delegates arrived on August 14 to the Forum, which made New Zealand TV news that evening. West Papuan John Ondawame was on the official Vanuatu delegation and so managed to meet many Prime Ministers at the Forum. Delegates to the ISM also got the opportunity to lobby officials from Pacific countries and from Australia and New Zealand.

Deciding to hold the International Solidarity Meeting just before a major regional political event proved a good tactic as both political and media interest was generated, and the solidarity activists and West Papuan guests got a shot in the arm for the coming year.

Prosecutors are due to start work on the Abepura case in November, nearly three years after the brutal incident whereby dozens of students were rounded up at random following an attack on a police station. Two students were brutally beaten to death in December 2000 in police custody: the beatings were witnessed by Swiss journalist Oswald Iten who testified to Ireland's Committee on Foreign Affairs in 2001.

Deputy commander of the National Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) Brig. Gen. Johny Wainal Usman and Papua Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Daud Sihombing have been named as suspects in the case.

The suspects are due to be tried under the newly-established Human Rights Court. The Abepura case will be the first case to be heard by the Court, setting a precedent in an important area of seeking accountability for recent human rights abuses. Amnesty International ran a postcard campaign on the case, in which Irish students and others participated.

Seven Indonesian special forces soldiers were convicted in April on the ill treatment resulting in the death of non-violent West Papuan leader Theys Eluay. No senior officers or officials who ordered the assassination were identify or prosecuted. The low-ranking soliders received light sentences ranging from two to three-and-a-half years. TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, has described the result of the case as a triumph for military impunity in Indonesia, and has called for a credible independent investigation by Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights into the killing.

Thousands of people fled their homes and eighteen people died following military repression in the Central Highlands in April. The repression began following a raid on an arms dump by unknown persons: it is strongly suspected the Indonesian military created the incident to justify a crackdown and an increased army presence. The West Papuans who died had been shot, tortured or beaten by troops; two died from lack of food as the army seized gardens and Papuans had to flee their food source for refuge.

One Papuan, Yapenas Murib, who was already weak from maltreatment at the hands of Indonesian Special Forces, had a metal noose tied round his neck and attached to the back of a truck. When he was ordered to walk, the truck pulled him in the opposite direction, causing him to fall. He was then dragged along the ground, a prolonged act of torture, over a distance of 3km. He later died, choking on his food. The Student Communication Forum of the Central Highlands has called on the National Human Rights Commsion to investigate the Wamena incident with a mandate to examine the background and motive of the event and to identify the perpetrators.

Jaap Salossa, Indonesia's Papua Governor has said the infant mortality rate in West Papua is 79 per 1,000 births. (A UNICEF official has put the figure at 117 per 1,000) He added, according to The Jakarta Post: "at least 49.6 percent of Papuans have not been educated or had failed to complete elementary school, while only 21.64 percent had passed elementary school, 10.06 had completed senior high school and a mere 1.9 percent had graduated from university."

Papua has a higher per capita percentage of people with HIV/AIDS than any area in Indonesia. In fact, the reported prevalence of AIDS is almost 30 times the Indonesian average. There has been a dramatic increase of 15 reported AIDS cases in 1996 to 325 cases in 2002. See: "Preventing AIDS in Papua" and other reports on Links section of West Papua Action website.

Together with the transmigration of Indonesians into West Papuans, if these trends continue, West Papuans will become a minority in their own country.

The attempt by Indonesia to split West Papua into three provinces, which would be named "West Irian Jaya", "Central Irian Jaya" and "Papua" has come under challenge from a number of quarters.

The European Parliament has called for the split not to go ahead; the attempted inauguration of "Central Irian Jaya" ended in violence, with at least five people dead; a Constitutional Law Expert has said the Presidential Decree to implement the division of Papua is unconstitutional, as the Special Autonomy Law takes precedence, and also that it contravenes a law stipulating that the President must seek and get approval from the Provincial House of Representatives, which she neglected to do.

Papua's Governor Jaap Solossa has also declared his opposition to the split, as has the Irish Government.

There are reports that "West Irian Jaya" has been inaugurated. As we go to press, there is uncertainty. Following the protests, Indonesia announced it was sending 2,000 extra troops, stoking fears of further violations.

West Papuan leaders have repeatedly called for support to make West Papua a "Zone of Peace": the only institution that has not declared its support is the Indonesian military. Leaders have also repeatedly called for a process of dialogue to be instigated with the Government of Indonesia, with everything on the table. As yet, there has been no response from Indonesia.

90 organisations worldwide have come together to call for a worldwide arms embargo against Indonesia. They are also calling for an immediate end to military operations in both West Papua and in Aceh. The groups are urging governments to embargo the supply of military, security and police equipment to Indonesia and to suspend all forms of military co-operation with the Indonesian military (TNI) and police special forces.

Citing the ongoing targeting of civilians by TNI, they note that 'the TNI is infamous for its brutality and lack of accountability in areas of conflict' and that the police special forces, known as Brimob, also have an appalling human rights record. Consequently, they say they are convinced that 'the TNI represents a grave threat to the stability and security of Indonesia' and they believe that 'the policy of western countries to strengthen their military ties with Jakarta as part of the "war against terror" is wholly misguided and dangerous'.

( See: www.tapol.gn.apc.org/st030623.htm )

An Indonesian Presidential Decree which granted a visa-free facility to nationals of 48 countries, with permission to stay 60 days, was revoked in September.

This follows Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda request to the immigration office not to grant tourist visas to foreigners who want to visit areas of conflict in Indonesia such as Aceh and Papua. Referring to foreigners visiting places torn by conflict such as Aceh and West Papua, Wirajuda said: "What for? We do not need them there."

Journalists who wish to visit West Papua are persistently refused access, purportedly for 'their own saftety'. Foreigners who visit need a special Surat Jalan ('travel letter') to visit many areas of West Papua. The Surat Jalan is stamped on entering villages so that local security forces can track the movements of internationals. All of this begs the question: what has Indonesia got to hide?

The Prime Minister of East Timor, Dr Mari Alkatiri, said he would like to play "an active and positive role in getting Indonesia and the West Papuan freedom movement together to find a peaceful solution", according to an Irish Times report on August 18th.

Alkatiri's statement follows the recent offer by New Zealand Foreign Minister Mr Phil Goff to mediate between the two sides.

To date, over 80 Irish elected representatives have added their names to international calls on Kofi Annan to instigate a review of the UN's conduct in West Papua in the 1960s.

Up to 200 people attended a symposium on 'Globalisation and Genocide in West Papua' on 22 May.

The symposium was co-hosted by Amnesty International, Frontline, Trócaire, Afri, West Papua Action, and Sustainable Ireland Cooperative, and chaired by George Monbiot (Guardian columnist and author).

John Rumbiak (West Papua's leading human rights defender) and Carmel Budiardjo (Founder of TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign) addressed the packed house on recent developments in Indonesia and West Papua, and offered insights about the way forward.

Transcripts available from office. George Monbiot's excellent book on his travels to West Papua, Poisoned Arrows, has been re-issued with a new introduction by the author. West Papua Action will be ordering copies.

West Papua's best-known human rights advocate, John Rumbiak, visited Ireland in May and met with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Tom Kitt TD.

He told the Minister that 'anti-terrorism' laws introduced after last year's Bali bombing were being used by Indonesia to clamp down on peaceful political dissenters, and he called on Ireland to take a leading role in the issue of West Papua, as Ireland did with East Timor. That would mean addressing the source of the conflict: the illegal annexation of West Papua by Indonesia in 1963.

Mr Rumbiak said he would like to see Ireland use its EU presidency next year 'to consistently raise the West Papuan case with the aim of developing a common position'. He also urged Mr Kitt to support calls for the UN to conduct a review of its role in the discredited 1969 'Act of Free Choice'

Judith Hamill, Margaret Murphy, Astrid V. Pérez Piñán, Sr. Barbara Raftery and Ramona Burke took part in the Dublin Women's Mini-Marathon on Monday June 2nd to raise funds for the West Papua Action campaign. Over €800 was raised. Congratulations!

The former colonial power in West Papua, The Netherlands, continues to sit on the fence, despite signing the key New York Agreement which led to the brutal take-over of the territory by Indonesia, and despite 100,000 deaths.

A vigil was held on 15 August, the anniversary of the Agreement, outside the Dutch Embassy, calling on the Netherlands government to break its complicit silence.

Join West Papua Action
If you haven't already done so, please consider joining West Papua Action, and the growing movement for West Papua self-determination and human rights. 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 €10 (€5 concession) to 134 Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7, with your name and contact details.

Contribute to West Papua Forum Meetings
All members, and intending members, are encouraged to come to the West Papua Forum, on the first Wednesday of each month in Dublin. The next meeting is on Wed. 5 November from 7 to 8.30pm 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.)

Attend An Cliabhán Papua Freedom Gig
Support West Papua Action and enjoy a great line-up of Blues, Traditional, Folk and Comedy at An Cliabhán (Conways, Parnell St.) at 8.30pm on Wednesday 29 October. €10.00 cover charge. All Welcome!

Support Anna in the Dublin City Marathon
Anna Doris will run her first marathon on 27 October 2003 to raise funds for West Papua Action. You can sponsor her in a number of ways:
1. By post: West Papua Action, 134 Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7. Mark envelope Dublin Marathon. Make cheques/postal orders out to West Papua Action.
2. By lodgement: a/c name: West Papua Action, Bank of Ireland, Portlaoise, Co. Laois; a/c no. 59691996; sort code: 90-18-88; to indicate you are sponsoring Anna, cross out number under Tx (beside a/c no. on lodgment slip) and write clearly in bold: YOUR NAME + DM (for Dublin Marathon).
3. By phone: Bank of Ireland customers can ring 1850 365 365; Allied Irish Bank customers can ring 1850 724 724; Permanent TSB can ring 1850 241 224 and transfer to: a/c name: West Papua Action; a/c no. 59691996; sort code: 90-18-88; Reference: YOUR NAME (e.g. J MURPHY) + DM (for Dublin Marathon).
4. Sponsorship forms: available from West Papua Action; tel. 01 860 3431.
5. By pledge: if you wish to pledge money now, send email to wpaction@iol.ie. You will receive a reminder after Anna has run the marathon, and you will be encouraged to make your donation by 14 November. Messages of encouragement sent to wpaction@iol.ie will be passed on to Anna.