Linda Mottram: A West Papuan human rights campaigner says that ongoing unrest in the Indonesian province is being caused by the violently radical Islamic group, Laskar Jihad, which was thought to have been disbanded.
Activist John Rumbiak claims that the Australian Government had been aware of the Indonesian military's ongoing support for the group since 2001 and has had regular updates since then. He says Canberra should now think twice about rebuilding any ties with the Indonesian armed forces. Hamish Fitzsimmons reports.
Hamish Fitzsimmons: Pro-independence groups, like the Papuan Presidium Council, claim the border of West Papua New Guinea has become a safe haven for Laskar Jihad due to protection it receives from the Indonesian military. The Council also claims the armed forces are supplying the militant group with weapons.
On the 28th of December last year the wife and daughter of a prominent human rights campaigner were seriously injured in a shooting at the border. When Indonesian police went to investigate in January, they were also shot at. John Rumbiak is a supervisor at the non-governmental West Papuan Institute for Human Rights and Advocacy, known as ELSHAM, and currently a visiting fellow at Columbia University, New York.
He says far from disbanding after the Bali bombing in October last year, as it did in other parts of Indonesia, Laskar Jihad is still a going concern in West Papua, one that works in tandem with elements of the Indonesian military.
John Rumbiak: In some cases we have investigated that they don't go by themselves. They have support from the military as well. They get support either financially or politically, because in their view, the Laskar Jihad and also the military have a common interest.
Hamish Fitzsimmons: You've got evidence of this collaboration and support?
John Rumbiak: We have, in our investigation, military personnel, they train these people, they are involved in training them, the Laskar Jihad, and they have placed them in several districts in Papua and in these several districts they have, like, [inaudible] where the majority of the Muslims are.
Hamish Fitzsimmons: Have you contacted the Australian Government about this?
John Rumbiak: Well, the Australian Government visited Papua and we did report this since last year. We published this and we attracted the US Government especially, the US Embassy sent special representatives to visit the region and they got first-hand information on the ground.
Linda Mottram: West Papua human rights advocate, John Rumbiak speaking to Hamish Fitzsimmons.