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Disappointment at US plans to drop critical look at Papua policy

Source
Radio New Zealand International - June 22, 2009

An NGO, the West Papua Advocacy Team, says it's sad that the US House of Representatives has scrapped provisions, highlighting the conditions of Indonesia's Papua, from a Foreign Relations bill.

The bill, approved earlier this month, initially contained a section calling on the State Department to report on the current political status of Papua. The Department was also called on to examine Special Autonomy and human rights abuses in Papua.

The Advocacy Team's Octo Mote, an America-based Papuan academic, feels the US has lost a perfect opportunity to push for positive change in Indonesia.

"Papua is a perfect example for this Democratic leadership to really force Jakarta... they will pay attention. So that's why this is not just for Papua, this is really for the values that the US is trying to lead, the values about human rights, the values about democraticisation."

Octo Mote says they are lobbying the US Senate to retain some of the provisions in the Bill.

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