Why I have to escape to Australia - Bernarda Edoway

International Forum for West Papua (INFO_WP)

Why I have to escape to Australia from Indonesian Military Regime

There is no life without escape to foreign country in seeking political asylum for people of West Papua, the ongoing Indonesia militarism will never fix up for the multiple problem which have been facing by Melanesian People of West Papua for many years. I could see as eye witness about Human rights violations and systematic genocide practices that are most prominent aspect. Because of the military expansion became sustainable plan to take control people activity around villages of West Papua, many cases I found it such as burn out houses, rape women, killed people and animals or livestock and extrajudicial killings also part of it. I am one of West Papuan educated women who always work for my people and I cannot get good opportunity to develop my career in the Indonesian colonial system, the special autonomy rule could not help to develop West Papuan lifestyle. During 10 consecutive years with the colonial policy of special autonomy had indicated that 76% poverty and hunger level, HIV AIDS 70s % infected population, lack of medical treatment and increasing level of unemployment for native Papuan according to many resources.

I am one of the targeted activists due to my political involvement, I was working for peace, justice and political independence struggle with my father. He very much inspired me in the independence struggle even more I learnt from the Indonesian colonial practices itself. As my background come from targeted family really hard to survive and my life under the big pressure, interrogation and persecution by Indonesian organs not only for me but all the West Papuan activist. Briefly I indicated that the suffering and victims for innocent West Papuans are increasing steadily without any foreign attention in term of advocacy and problem solving the situation.

I describe the general knowledge about the political unrest in West Papua. The key actors are Indonesia and West Papuan people, it begun since the territory took over by colonial states in 1960s. After the territory recolonised under Indonesia military regime, the political war and human rights violations hugely occur until today epoch, humanitarian and security are urgent demands but there is no international government reaction for serious attention. Central case is the issue of illegal integration for territory; hence this potential conflict will not solve up until neutral party intervention. West Papuan people seeking to recognise their political status as non-self-governing territory through put back the territory to the United Nations Political and Decolonization committee. I strongly support to West Papuan Decolonisation Committee have been established by OPM leaders and former Prime Minister of Vanuatu that aims to promote and gather regional government support to bring the case to UN. During PIF meeting 2011 in Auckland, UN leader Ban Ki moon also been ever mentioned that it should be discuses on the 24 committee, this constructive ways of conflict resolution according to international mechanism to achieve an eradication of world colonialism agenda, therefore I recommend that through annual meeting of MSG must to concern of it.

To settle up the political unrest peacefully, the Papua Peace Network working to promote Jakarta-Papua dialogue as a good initiative, the Indonesian president; SBY have agreed with his prospective of dialogue different to West Papuan prospective. I believe that this long enduring political conflict never end if the both party have their distinction of political believe, history moreover geographically and culturally are utterly different. Those indication shows that discrimination and war potentially contribute the conflict; hence the third party mediation to be urgent inquiry in West Papua at present.

Before I came to Australia my role was a secretary of Customary Council in MEPAKO Region in West Papua and former student activist during completing my master degree in Java. At moment my role is Assistant Secretary of International Forum for West Papua, which my husband founded, a non-governmental organization based in Australia that working for human rights, security, peace, and justice and Independence struggle. My husband (Amatus Douw) was one of 43 asylum seekers who came by boat in 2006 and well-known political independence activist in the international arena, many time travels to pacific countries to lobby regional government like PIF 2010 Port Vila and 2011 in Auckland, New Zealand. I will be accompanying him in his struggle so that by our together can achieve the big goal for independence in the future.

Bernarda Edoway
Assistant Secretary of INFO_WP

ENDS

© Scoop Media