By: Joe Collins

Joe Collins — Wed, 10 Feb 2016 00:33:21 +0000

Joe Collins
An excellent review of Jason Macleod’s new book on West Papua “Merdeka: Media and the case for Papuan civil resistance”. As David said “This is essential reading for journalists, civil society activists and policymakers concerned over West Papua”. The conflict in West Papua is one of the longest running conflicts in our region and mostly hidden to the outside world. However, thanks to the net the issue of West Papua is finally gaining international attention and particularly in our region. If it has been difficult to get the attention of the mainstream media on the issue, the exceptions have been the Pacific Media Centre and Radio New Zealand International who have been consistent in their reporting on the issue over the years.
In our region civil society organizations’ in the Pacific have committed to enthusiastically take up the fight for the people of West Papua. The issue is also being raised around the world by solidarity groups and individuals too numerous to mention. West Papua is back on the agenda at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and hopefully Jakarta will accept a request from the PIF leaders for a fact-finding mission to West Papua. West Papua has been raised at the UN by various Pacific leaders and awareness throughout the Pacific has increased dramatically through the lobbying of governments in the region by West Papuan representatives, civil society organisations and church groups.
Much of this campaigning and in particular around the MSG is well documented in Jason’s book as are all the issues of concern in West Papua. Chapter 6 looks at Framework for nonviolent liberation. Can nonviolent strategies work? The Indonesian military thinks so. Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch quotes from an internal Indonesian military document. The documents show that the military believes it has more to fear from peaceful “political separatist” activity than from armed separatists. A 2007 Kopassus report states, “Current political activity in Papua is very dangerous compared to the activities of Papuan armed groups because their access already reaches abroad.”
Joe Collins
AWPA (Sydney)

By: PMC editor

PMC editor — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 07:15:22 +0000

Dear David,
Thanks very much for sharing this marvelous review. We’ll be sure to share online when it goes live.
Best wishes,
Rachel
University of Queensland Press

By: Del Abcede

Del Abcede — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 06:25:00 +0000

Good book and a good review but unless the mainstream media and the international community expose the atrocities and human rights abuses in West Papua I’m afraid their struggle for independence will mean more lives will still be sacrificed.

Comments on: Merdeka: Media and the case for Papuan civil resistance

By: Joe Collins

By: PMC editor

By: Del Abcede