Free West Papua - An Interview with an Activist

Photo Credit: Harry Jenkinson

With protests and rallies taking place this summer all over London for numerous campaigns – The People’s Vote, Extinction Rebellion, National Demonstration for Palestine – you’d be forgiven for calmly thinking that all causes were being covered. However, you’d be wrong. A frequently overlooked but vital cause has been slowly picking up speed in the recent years and I spoke to activist Harry Jenkinson to see what exactly is going on.

The New Guinea conflict began in 1963, back when the Dutch relinquished colonial control over the small island, giving the power over to a temporary United Nations administration. The Indonesian government however, soon implemented their authority by force in 1969 in which a referendum was held to decide the fate of the territory. Instead of the paper-and-pen referendums that we’ve come to know however, the possible independence vote was held at gun-point, with a very small number of ‘voters’. Indonesia have been a dominating presence in the 56 years since.

At last count, over 500,000 Papuans have been killed in acts that compelled Jeremy Corbyn to call on people to “Recognise the abuse of human rights” and the bloodshed has continued with the latest unprovoked death happening in just February of this year.

Jenkinson has been involved with the cause since the age of sixteen and regularly volunteers his time to work within the Free West Papua offices, based in Oxford. Not only does he provide an insight into the campaign, he also offers information on how you can get involved yourself.

Click here to listen to the interview.