For some 35 years, the world has neglected the struggle of the people of West Papua for survival. They have been surrounded by a world of silence during which their human rights were ignored, their country plundered, their forests clear-felled and their rivers polluted. These events are continuing to this day. Their heroic resistance to the occupation and genocidal actions of the Indonesian dictator, Suharto, and those who follow in his footsteps are bound to bring international support.

West Papua is the western half of New Guinea, while Papua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the other half - north of Australia. West Papua is the second largest island, with the third highest mountain ranges. Coastal areas have the world's most extensive sago and mangrove forests. West Papua occupies an area of 421,981 square kilometres. The extensive resources of timber, copper, gold, oil and gas make West Papua one of the richest areas of real estate in the world. And there lies trouble.

Within West Papua, there are some 250 tribal groups with a culture dating back some 50,000 years West Papuans are related to the people of PNG, Vanuatu, Fiji, and the Solomons. Eighty five per cent are Christian. In 1989, the population was estimated at 1,555,682 people. It now stands at 2.9 million, 750,000 of whom are new settlers from Indonesia. This settlement plan poses threats to the survival of West Papua culture.

Four-to-five hundred years back, West Papua attracted the attention of the Arabs, Chinese, Dutch, Portugese and Spanish. The Dutch won. After WW2, the Dutch adopted a 10-year plan to prepare West Papua for independence.

Further East, in Indonesia, the Dutch were expelled and the new Administration under Soekarno claimed control of West Papua. This upset the plans for independence for West Papua, which was expected in 1962, following the independence gained by Samoa.

Due to collusion between the United States and the then revisionist Soviet Union, the Indonesian claim for West Papua was given their approval. The US had put heavy pressure on the Dutch to fall into line. This piece of history is not widely known. At that time, following the death of Stalin in 1952 and the emergence of Krushchov, the Soviet Union became a social-imperialist state.

In 1969, Suharto, the butcher of East Timor, conducted a sham referendum among 1025 hand-picked West Papuans They voted for Indonesian control of West Papua. In contrast, Papua New Guinea gained its independence in 1975.

Beginning with the 1960's, the West Papuans have developed a National Congress, a National Council, and a Praesidium covering the 14 regions. In every region there is a Task Force engaged in a guerrilla activity. The Organisasi Papua Merdeka or Free Papua Movement (OPM) advocates independence for West Papua and leads the resistance in many parts of the country. Mr John Ondawame of the OPM, recently conducted a speaking tour of New Zealand.

Deforestation through clear-felling and fire, and gross pollution of water resources is continuing. Bush-dwellers are being forced from their natural lands. The Indonesian Government refuses to recognise land rights.

Human rights abuses persist. There is evidence of the Indonesian Army is establishing militia groups for roles similar to those in East Timor. In 1981, at a Tribunal on Human Rights held in Port Moresby, PNG, Eliezer Bonay, Indonesia's first governor of West Papua, testified that 30,000 West Papuans were murdered between 1963 and 1969. In February, 1999, the West Papuan representatives told the Indonesian leader Habibe - "we cannot live together - we have suffered- we have to separate in a peaceful way"

• Work to have West Papua re-instated on the United Nations Special Committee on De-Colonisation by persuading the Coalition Government to support Vanuatu's and Nauru's resolution granting Foram Observer Status to West Papua.
• Request UN observers to investigate Human Rights abuses in West Papua
• Lobby the lndonesian Embassy on all issues-environmental, human rights, independence. Latest information confirms that the Indonesian Army is equipping militias.