Papuans fear crackdown on independence will get much worse as autonomy deadline looms.
There has been low-level insurgency there since it was absorbed into Indonesia in 1969 by the so-called Act of Free Choice, a process disputed as a sham by independence advocates because the 1025 people selected to vote were chosen by then president Suharto’s military.
However, it was opposed by independence leader Theys Eluay, who was soon after assassinated by members of Indonesia’s special forces, and with the 20-year special autonomy term running out in November pro-independence Papuans have protested against its extension, arguing it restricts political freedoms in its existing form and offers no prospect of a future breakaway from Indonesia.
Arief Fajar Satria, the spokesman for security forces sent to Papua last month, said the joint police and military operation consisted of 1128 personnel and their strategy was “to wait for them to come out from their hiding” in the mountains. He cast doubt on whether security forces would be able to identify and capture the rebels on their wanted list.Loading“As long as we don’t settle this historical issue, nothing can be solved.”
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