Thursday, March 01, 2007

Christians told of Papuan cleansing and genocide

Elizabeth Kendal, the Principal Researcher and Writer of the World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission, has reported to the ASSIST News Service that "the Indonesian military (TNI) has once again unleashed terror in the highlands of Papua. Thousands of indigenous, predominantly Christian Papuans have been ethnically cleansed from their villages and driven into the inhospitable jungle where many will die."

Her article, Papua, Indonesia, the TNI and the USA, further claimed that policies being enacted by the Indonesian government and the TNI are "effecting the genocide" of the indigenous Papuans.

"There will always be in every country government officials and CEOs who are prepared to put political and economic interests ahead of human life. Because of this it is left to those voters and investors who are not prepared to be complicit in human rights abuses and genocide to exert their power to force change. The impunity must end somewhere.

"Freeport should be made to cease operations in Papua and the US government should be made to cease military aid to Indonesia until the human rights situation in Papua is corrected and Papua's Special Autonomy Law is fully implemented to the indigenous Papuans' satisfaction," she concluded.

Ms Kendal can be contacted at rl-research@crossnet.org.au

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