West Papua Conflict is Asian infiltration and rape of Melanesia

By Leonard Fong Roka

Melanesia or ‘dark islands’ is a region covering the biggest island of New Guinea and its islands, the Solomon island chain, Vanuatu, Fiji and New Caledonia. It is a region considered as the ancient gate way into the human colonisation of the Pacific. But, today it is losing grip of its ancient cultural and political tranquillity for our brothers in West Papua.

West Papua Flag

Since the arrival of Europeans, the long historical apparatus of calm was shattered by the rapacious drawing of lines of division across traditional nation states to a belittling impact. After many hands (some only had one colonial master) and the dawn of decolonisation, West Papua ended in Indonesia; Bougainville in Papua New Guinea and New Caledonians struggling for self-determination from France rule.

The trio, West Papua, New Caledonia and Bougainville had had significant influence on the political fabric of the countries that governed them. In the Pacific, all also had being in one way or the other, held the upper hand in the political gossips of the region in regard to the use of rebellious resistance.

West Papuans, who are rightfully Melanesians, had being ignored by the most Melanesian leaders out of fear of negative repercussions from Indonesia. Government after government in Papua New Guinea (apart from ordinary PNGeans) as not stood up for a fellow Melanesian. So far, I have heard of Vanuatu, at least speaking out; with some little groups or individuals in the Solomon Islands and Fiji.

Melanesian states (excluding the current regime in Fiji), especially Papua New Guinea, are so good in worshipping powers that are militarily or politically powerful. I cannot hide that PNG is moderate because foreign aid is her blood of existence. They even, are not able to change what they were given by the colonial powers and this is not because of the lack of natural capabilities, but it is because of negligence out of fear from external pressures if they create political and economic systems that are realistic to Melanesia.

What Melanesian states and people need to know is that, liberal democracy today is not ‘people power’ but, it is tyranny controlled by the western banking system through the military industrial complex to control the remaining natural resources in the world.

In the West Papua issue, Melanesians must realise that we are at war with an imperialistic Asian parasite; they are merciless, torturing, rapacious and gluttonous at heart to rob our fellow Melanesians from their land and wealth; PNG is already a victim with all the Batas trading near Wutung that denies the town of Vanimo in West Sepik Province to develop.

The island of New Guinea is said to be a bridge between Asia and Oceania. With this, I see a hopeless situation in the future of our Melanesia. If West Papua is to be controlled forever, then the spill-over effect will be into PNG, then into my Bougainville and the rest of Solomon Islands and beyond.

Hearing the West Papuans’ struggle, the first thing that bothers me are the facts, that Asia houses more than 60% of the global human population; and currently, is host to some of the world’s rapidly rising economies that needs natural resources to keep them running.

In this regard, our fellow Melanesians across the PNG border had long, under Indonesian rule, being undergoing genocide which the UN Convention on the Prevention in Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Article 2) defines as, ‘…acts committed with ‘intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a natural, ethnical, racial or religious group’.

Indonesia could argue that there is no intent to eradicate Melanesians in West Papua, but one could ask back: ‘Are you are member of the United Nations?’ If ‘YES’, then Indonesia knows exactly the contents and goals of the United Nation’s Minority Rights and Indigenous Rights.

All these rights for ages now have being denied to our West Papuan brothers and sisters by Asian aliens. Their wealth being exploited for the betterment of Asians, their land robbed through the transmigration effort and their gesture for freedom decanted with the barrel of the gun.

The plight of Melanesians in West Papua today is being worsened by western hegemony. As the suppressed peoples turn to terrorism against Eurocentric takeover to attain their likes, the West led by the US turn to label many whom I see as genuine freedom fighters, terrorists. Thus, in the recent years Indonesia has had taken advantage of its alliance with the US to flush out Melanesians in the name of the global war against terrorism.

Furthermore, Melanesians in West Papua have being neglected by their own relatives in the name of national security. But, Melanesians states especially PNG, worries about national security at the international realm and ignores the domestic security. Influx of West Papuan refugees is a problem that can weaken PNG from the inside whilst the government concentrates on external affairs, to PNG, and to me; the only solution is to help West Papuans to move into self-determination which under the UN’s Indigenous Rights is their right.

From the Wikipedia, here is what the UN’s Indigenous Rights have to say:

‘Indigenous rights are those rights that exist in recognition of the specific condition of the indigenous peoples. This includes not only the most basic human rights of physical survival and integrity, but also the preservation of their land, language, religion and other elements of cultural heritage that are a part of their existence as a people. This can be used as an expression for advocacy of social organizations or form a part of the national law in establishing the relation between a government and the right of self-determination among the indigenous people living within its borders, or in international law as a protection against violation by actions of governments or groups of private interests.’

Collectively, as Melanesians, we contribute to deny Melanesians of West Papua from their rights.

So, with all these nightmares before us, the element of ‘intent’ in the UN’s definition of genocide is clarified. Starting from the Western hegemonic actors to Indonesia, to Melanesian countries that help not to voice and support the West Papuans, our intent is to eradicate the Melanesians in West Papua from the surface of the Earth and Asianize the island of New Guinea is that ignorance and fear of Indonesia.

The United Nations has given us every mechanism to get up and stand up for our rights (as late Bob Marley puts it) as Melanesians, what we need is a collective effort without any fear.

In summary, let us save West Papua for Melanesians; independence for West Papua, is survival from Asianization of Melanesia as a unique people on the surface of the Earth.