West Papua Information Kit

Refugees

Who

Refugees are people who have flead and feared returning to their nation on a well-founded fear of persecution for membership of a racial, ethnic, political, or social group. Refugees are forced from their countries by political strife, civil conflict or gross human rights abuse. There were an estimated 14.9 million refugees and over 22 million consider as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the world in 2001.

Though there have been tens of thousands of refugees from West Papua in PNG for decades, PNG is in fear of Indonesia should it identify the West Papuan people as refugees for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Inside West Papua are entire communities who have been in hidding from the Indonesian military (TNI) and other militia for years and decades.

1960s newspaper reports

1962 Aug 22 - The Bishop Armidale, the Rt. Rev. J. S. Moyes, yesterday said that with the West New Guinea settlement, Australians were in an explosive situation which could affect areas and peoples beyond the limits of West New Guinea. . . . Questions for Government . . . (1) Will the Government give a clear and unequivocal undertaking that it will grant asylum without question to political refugees from West New Guinea? . . .

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1969 May 16 - Irian rebellion puts Australia on spot
. . . There have been a sharp increase in the number of these crossings since 1967 when the figure rose to 866. More than 300 have come across already this year. If they have genuine fears about returning they are allowed to stay, provided they move away from the border area and don't engage in "political activities."

1969 May 17 - Soldiers are Hunting for Natives
Indonesian Army patrols are fanning out to the mountains and bushes around the high Wissel Lake region in the Central Highlands of West Irian to hunt down rebel tribesmen and bring them back to their villages, missionaries said in Jayapura yesterday.
The missionaries said the troops, mainly paracommandos were in firm control of he region. They said the town of Enarotali and some surrounding villages were deserted by the natives.

1969 May 23 - Wounded native fleesa Papua from Indonesians
Canberra, Today. - A West Irian native shot by Indonesian police has fled across the border into Papua-New Guinea . . . The man whose arm was shattered is now recovering at Wewak Hospital on the northern coast of New Guinea. The department said Indonesian police were reported to have hit him with automatic fire as he fled. Four West Irianese helped him across the border to a border patrol post at Wutung on the West Sepik coast on Tuesday, then returned to West Irian.

1969 May 26 - Two West Irianese who say Indonesian troops shot up their camp have reached a remote mission and triggered a border alarm in southern Papua. The Indonesians probably crossed into Australian territory to attack the camp.
250 People there.
The Administration was aware that a camp had been established in the border area and up to 250 West Irianese were living in it. The camp was thought to be just inside Australian territory. The two mean did not know what happened to their friends.

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