Jody Betzien, Melbourne – Two human rights workers from West Papua visited Melbourne last week to draw attention to the training of pro-Indonesian militia and arbitrary killings in the Indonesian province.

Albert Rumbekwan, a lawyer from the Institute for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy, gave an account of shootings at a West Papuan flag raising ceremony in Biak in mid-1998. He said 400 people were arrested and a number were shot. Subsequently, 32 corpses appeared on the Biak beach. Rumbekwan said Indonesian-trained anti-independence "militias" are being formed secretly in every town. Large amounts of weaponry are being illegal imported. He also spoke of the large military presence in West Papua, particularly at the site of the giant, US-owned Freeport gold and copper mine.

Mus Pigai, a West Papuan independence campaigner, described the massive Jakarta-sponsored migration of people from other parts of Indonesia into West Papua and the systematic discrimination against indigenous West Papuans that has led to divisions between "transmigrants" and the local population. The migrants form the basis of the militia.

West Papua has been part of Indonesia since 1969 when the United Nations General Assembly ratified the "Act of Free Choice". In this ballot, just 1025 West Papuans from a population of 1.8 million were allowed to vote on West Papua's status. Rumbekwan said he supported the current investigation by the Dutch government into the rigged ballot.

Rumbekwan said West Papuans want full independence from Indonesia and reject Jakarta's vague offer of "autonomy". Only independence will end the repression, he said. Rumbekwan urged Australian solidarity and other organisations to continue to pressure the Indonesian government to end human rights abuses and to support independence for West Papua.