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The Silent Genocide – The Exploitation and Illegal Occupation of West Papua
By Craig Moore
Guest Writer for Wake Up World
The Silent Genocide
West Papua is the western half of the island of New Guinea, bordering the independent nation of Papua New Guinea. It lies just 200km north of Australia. The land comprises a large mountainous interior, forest lowlands, large areas of coastal mangrove swamps and is surrounded by numerous small islands and coral reefs.
Indonesia officially acquired West Papua in 1969, after a sham ballot on independence in which only a handful of the local population were allowed to vote. When the ballot was held in 1969, it was far from free and fair: the Indonesian military handpicked 1,026 leaders to vote on behalf of the entire population, and threatened to kill them and their families if they voted ‘the wrong way’.
In this environment, the outcome of the so-called ‘Act of Free Choice’ was unanimous – and Indonesia’s takeover of West Papua was rubber-stamped by the UN. The ‘Act of Free Choice’, in 1969, was obviously a sham referendum headed by the US Government and United Nations with support from the Australian Government. The UN has failed to acknowledge, and rectify this, showing its lack of commitment to human rights, international law, and UN Resolution 1514.
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