28 Oct 2013

Papua human rights situation far worse than reported by Asian watchdog

8:09 pm on 28 October 2013

The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation says a new report into human rights abuses against Papuans by the Indonesian military in the late 1970s only uncovers a small portion of what has actually occurred there.

The Asian Human Rights Commission's report says more than 4,000 Papuans were murdered, and another 10,000 died as a result of torture, disease and hunger.

It says what occurred amounts to genocide, and is calling for a human rights court to be set up to try those responsible.

A spokesperson for the coalition, Andy Ayamiseba, says it is pleased a report by such a reputable organisation proves what the Free West Papua movement has been claiming for years.

But he says the whole story has not yet been told.

"We've been preaching about this to the world for so long and we're pleased that the Asian Human rights have put out this report. We hope with that report it will make people think twice not to trust what's happening in West Papua. It is a good start. We have all the data of all the disappearings and it's a couple of hundred thousand people who have been murdered up until now."

Andy Ayamiseba.