The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) has initiated the letter below. It is part of a campaign to draw attention to the reality that the needs of people are being sacrificed as billions are spent on wars and other aggressive acts originating with the United States. The letter has attracted a long list of signatories. Australia’s political leadership joined in on ignoring the call by the United Nations Secretary general, Antonio Guterres, for a global ceasefire during the pandemic. Now we look towards an uncertain future, where attention to the needs of people has become even more important. IPAN’s call deserves the support of all.Healthcare has been revealed to be high on the list of priorities.You too can sign the letter via this link.
We the undersigned, call on the Australian Government to stop funneling billions of dollars into offensive weapons for unjust U.S. led wars, and invest instead in the health and safety of people and the environment. Continue reading A people’s call for healthcare not warfare→
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is now pushing changes to laws that will allow the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to spy on Australians as never before, and without oversight, strengthening already existing measures for detention without charge and denial of the right to have a lawyer present. Continue reading Peter Dutton opens door to attack our rights a little wider→
Unknown to most Australians, a war is going on just north of Australia. Fuelling it, is a bid by West Papuans to win independence form Indonesian rule.
The war is intensifying. Civilian population centres are being subjected to bombing raids. Soldiers are picking up people and shooting them, and a range of other human rights abuses are being committed.
Indonesia has been maintaining a tight information lock down. Most media is forbidden access to West Papua and claims of abuse are routinely denied. But the smuggling out of video footage and other evidence can’t be stopped.
So far, Australia has seemed largely indifferent to what is going on. At the government level there is active cooperation with Indonesia. There is support for the occupation, which had been there for over 50 years. Indonesia claims that the population voted to become part of Indonesia in 1969. The problem with this is that barely 1,000 hand-picked individuals were allowed to vote. Integration has never been accepted.
This history and the war are largely blocked out of the Australian media. It brings up memories of earlier support for Indonesian occupation of West Timor. As a rule, Australians do not know what is going on.
Indonesian soldiers posing before a trophy kill
It seems access to the mineral reserves of West Papua rates greater importance than human rights.
The independence movement has been scoring significant diplomatic wins in recent times, and the internal insurgency continues. The different groups have been finding greater unity. Indonesia is reacting to both.
Try what they may, the Indonesian occupation army has been unable to subdue the population. Demonstrations, illegal Morning Star flag raising ceremonies, and ambushes are gathering pace.
A major tactic being used has to organise large scale migration of Indonesians into West Papua and offering wealth form developing the minerals industry, as a means to create a social base of support for ongoing integration with Indonesia.
The independence movement is striving to achieve its objective through peaceful means. It has also been clear abouts it intentention to conitnue to defend itself and the people it represents.
A Four Corners crew has been able to get rare access. It is worthwhile watching their report. You can see it below.
Australia cannot continue to ignore the plight of our next door neighbours, and has a responsibility to stop giving support to Indonesia’s occupation. After all Australia participated in having the territory handed over. This was wrong and calls to be rectified.
We once rose as a nation behind the people of East Timor. We can do it again for the people of West Papua.
The private operators in the Job Network program and nowadays called Jobactive providers, have been showing just what a caring lot they are, by bullying those who come to them after losing their jobs because of the Coronavirus epidemic. They didn’t give two hoots that the nation was in lockdown and there were no jobs going. Continue reading Government promotes the bullying of people on JobSeeker payments→
The Reserve Bank’s latest forecasts have shed the optimism that was there only a few months ago, and forecast a downward slide for Australia’s economy. A lot of blame is being put by them and others on the Covid-19 outbreak. It has contributed. But this is far from the whole story, which is telling us that a quick bounce back is not on the cards. Continue reading The Australian economy is not going to suddenly fix itself→
In the very early hours of 3 May, an armed group headed towards the shore of Venezuela by boat. They landed at La Guaira, in the country’s north, just 32 kilometres from the capital Caracas. Their intention was to carry out a military coup. Continue reading Another coup against Venezuela has been attempted and defeated→
Official site of the May Day Committee (Malbourne)
