Goodbye Indonesia
In the face of repressive state action and international indifference, West Papuan activists have been engaged in a life-or-death struggle for independence. People and Power investigates the causes of one of the least known conflicts in the world.
After the Dutch released their East Indies empire following the Second World War, they gave it all to Indonesia, except for the territory of West Papua, which forms part of New Guinea, the second largest island on Earth.
This massive landmass – divided by colonial powers into West Papua and Papua New Guinea – is similar to only a few other places on Earth.
Its rugged terrain and dense rainforests have produced an extraordinary variety of linguistic traditions among its indigenous population, some of which are still living in isolated tribes.
Fifty years ago, few of these tribes wanted their land to be incorporated into Indonesia, a new country that they shared no history, culture, religion or ethnic ties with, but which desired a resource-rich part of West Papua in its territory.
