The first time I saw something about the genocide in West Papua was just an year ago. Despite my natural interest in history and politics I had never heard a word of the brutal violence that was going on for decades. I talked to my friends and family about it and there was literally not a single person that I knew who had knowledge of those events. Since journalists are not allowed in the province by the Indonesian army and western corporate media has no interest in reporting on the subject, Papuans have found themselves ignored from most of humanity.
Aside from the brutal treatment, the rapes, the assassinations and massacres another kind of crime against peace is also committed on the same land. Western, Asian and Australian corporations are ravaging the rainforest at catastrophic rate. The magnificent ecosystem is being destroyed for the profit of the timber and palm oil industries.
The easiest and fastest way for us to help them is to let the world hear their story. We could never find a solution to the problem if we're already not aware of its existence. Everybody is talking about interventions all the time and we destroy countries and nations in the name of peace and democracy, but we turn a blind eye to the brutal massacre of an indigenous population and the savage destruction of one of the few remaining rainforests.
Talk to your friends, family and colleagues, let them know what you saw. Help us attract more people to the problem and together we will find solutions.
Article from The Pieces Fit