Washington – Thirty-five members of the US Congress have called on Indonesia to lift travel restrictions to West Papua and halt the military buildup in the province where a rebellion has simmered for decades.

"Despite efforts to impede access by international journalists and human rights and humanitarian workers, we are aware that operations in the highlands have resulted in numerous human rights violations since August 2004," lawmakers said in a letter on Thursday to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The letter, signed by a bipartisan group of House ofRepresentatives members, said the "travel permit system, requiring travelers to report their own movement to local intelligence agencies, is contrary to the freedom of movement that is essential to a functional democracy."

It called on Indonesia to suspend the travel permit system and visa policies "that restrict access of international journalists, researchers, and (nongovernmental organization) workers to WestPapua," an area of rich biological and cultural diversity.

It also called for a halt to new military operations there, and said, "churches, human rights organizations and regional parliamentarians are reporting that thousands of villagers have been forced to flee these military operations."

The letter, spearheaded by Reps. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, and Sam Farr, a California Democrat, commended Indonesia for changing visa policies to give journalists and international organizations access to Aceh province after thetsunami disaster in December.

"We write to encourage you to continue with these positive steps by opening up access to West Papua," the lawmakers said.