Fighting won’t stop unless Jakarta closes Mine

The writer of this article was sitting next to the West Papua Liberation Army (WPLA) Spokesman, Sebby Sambom at Golden Port midday Wednesday, when a personal report direct from Tembagapura by the Region’s Defense Commander of WPLA (TPNPB) Brigadier, Ayub Waker and Field Operation Commander, Gusby Hunggi confirmed that their men also destroyed three cars and one helicopter.

The attack took place at a police check point at Freeport Indonesian Mining Company 3.30 yesterday morning.

Sambom says this is fresh news that does not normally get to the international media uncensored by Jakarta.

Asked if the latest fighting is likely to threaten the unity among the delegates of the all West Papua annual conference in Port Vila beginning November 24, Sambom says he believes it will be discussed in the meeting.

Asked where WPLA gets its modern weapons from, he replies with a dubious smile that they buy them and also collect them from their victims.

“An Australian journalist asked me the same question after seeing pictures of young men with weapons which are not readily available on the market.

"They are provided by Australia to Indonesia’s special forces," he says.

Asked to explain how the standoff between Indonesia’s police and soldiers and WPLA also known as TPNPB is likely to end, he replies that the armed West Papuan fighters are not “criminals or rebels” because they are fighting for their rights to protect their women and children, their lands and mineral resources and freedom and sovereignty.

This is the most respectable stand that any indigenous freedom fighter or guerrilla fighter is prepared to risk everything for.

He says to every West Papuan, the 54-year old struggle has progressed to a new level where it is becoming clearer that if they restrict their struggle to diplomacy, it may take another 54 years and many are determined that enough is enough.

In the latest 8-point statement to Jakarta, WPLA makes the following demands reiterating its military wing will stop the war only if:

• Freeport Indonesian Mining Company in Tembagapura, West Papua, is closed;

• Indonesia recalls all organic and non-organic military forces from the area of West Papua and replaces them with UN security forces.

• Government of Indonesia approve the implementation of an act of free choice for self-determination for indigenous people of West Papua;

• Indonesian Government of the Provinces of Papua and West Papua dismissed and the non-government status, fully surrender to a UN trust government.

• Negotiator in the Agreement be a Papuan military representative of the TPNPB, the civilian Movement of the interior and the ULMWP foreign diplomat;

• Signing of this Agreement be mediated by neutral parties and the UN, not JDP or Indonesian Government;

• Other matters concerning timing of referendum and negotiators be submitted later, if Indonesian Government approves of bid of this agreement and

• WPLA (TPNPB) rejects bid of any form other than those listed on the eight items of this bid. If the Indonesian government does not approve this bid then TPNPB will not stop the war.

The spokesman says the war against the Indonesian military in Papua will go on until the top of the bid is approved, which is to close the Freeport Mine.