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Letters to the Editor:

Letter to Alexander Downer re West Papua

Dear Mr Downer,

I am writing to you concerning the deteriorating situation in West Papua. 
Since the establishment of the new province, Central Irian Jaya, there have 
been major clashes between pro and anti supporters of the new province 
which has resulted in the deaths of three people and up to 50 injured.

This move to split West Papua into three smaller provinces is opposed by 
all elements of civil society in West Papua including religious leaders.

This presidential instruction dividing the province is seen by West Papuans 
to be not only illegal, but also seen as a case of "divide and rule", that 
is to weaken the Papuan movement for self-determination.

The division of the province can only lead to further conflict in the 
province and we call on the Australian Government to use its good offices 
to urge the Indonesian Government to revoke the presidential instruction.

It also appears that President Megawati is now relying on military 
solutions to solve problems throughout the archipelago. The ongoing 
military operations in Aceh and West Papua have resulted in great loss of 
life, villages and livestock destroyed and as history proves, will only 
increase resistance to Jakarta.

We urge the Australian Government to press the Indonesian Government to end 
all military operations in West Papua and to encourage the Indonesian 
Government to renew efforts to resolve the conflict in West Papua by 
peaceful means and to support the civil society organisations in West Papua 
who are trying to create a zone of peace.

We are also concerned that the Australian Government has decided to renew 
aid and military training to the Indonesian military and in particular the 
special forces Kopassus.

Kopassus has a record of involvement in human rights abuses not only in the 
past in East Timor but at present in West Papua. Kopassus and the 
Indonesian military co-ordinated the East Timorese anti-independence 
militias which caused so much havoc and loss of life in East Timor.

In West Papua, where there are ongoing human rights abuses, several 
Kopassus officers were put on trial and found guilty of the assassination 
of the West Papuan independence leader Theys Eluay.

There are also questions about military involvement in the killings of two 
American and one Indonesian teacher at the giant Freeport copper and gold 
mine in West Papua in August last year, which the FBI is investigating. The 
US House of Representatives has moved to block Jakarta from receiving 
military aid because of this ambush.

And reports have stated that it is in the interest of the military to 
prolong and escalate conflict in troubled regions as a way of proving that 
they are necessary but also to ensure they can continue their business 
activities.

We ask the Australian Government to rethink its policy of renewing ties 
with the Indonesian military as any aid or training will only be used to 
oppress the people of West Papua and Aceh.

As our former Foreign Minister Gareth Evans said after events in East 
Timor, "I am one of those who has to acknowledge, as Australia's foreign 
minister at the time, that many of our earlier training efforts helped only 
to produce more professional human rights abusers."

Joe Collins
Secretary, Australia West Papua Association, Sydney

Where are the jobs on the Government's new innovation for finding 
work?

At the Underemployed People's Union WA Inc meeting last Saturday it was 
noted that the only form of jobs showing an increase was in prostitution. 
There were 365 job adverts for prostitution in the Monday West Australian. 
A member said there were no jobs in WA Network one day and another day only 
one job far away out of the city. To keep her sanity she works one day a 
week in the United Nations office in Perth.

It is time jobs like this were paid work. So many volunteers uphold 
important organisations that work for Human Rights. These organisations are 
world wide recognised non-government organisations working for the 
betterment of humanity. Yet the Howard Government has cut off funding to 
many of these organisations.

If the value of unpaid work was factored into the economy then a different 
picture would emerge. No government is game to address the unpaid millions 
of workers that keep this country financially viable. Instead underemployed 
people are made victims of a welfare system that offers no job prospects or 
self-esteem in work-for-the-dole schemes.

The policy of breaching those who refuse jobs such as to stuff letters in 
envelopes or clean out the gutters of buildings degrades mature skilled 
people genuinely seeking work, members of the UPUWA said.

If an unemployed person refuses such a job they are breached and have to 
fight for their benefits to be returned.

The message from the meeting was to Amanda Vanstone, "Join the real world 
and see what your policies are doing to the health of this nation.

Mary Jenkins
Underemployed People's Union WA