West Papua - still calling for its freedom

Until self-determination happens, West Papuans should certainly be planning to seek refuge here in our Commonwealth section of the Australian continent.

Refugees are meant to be fleeing long-term persecution, and unlike economic migrants they are meant to tell the outside world of the problems they are fleeing from so that we can help end the abuse affecting our region.

Not only are West Papuans entitled to free speech, but they are morally required to tell us and the world why they are here.

It is a shame that PNG, in understandable fear of Indonesia, has refused to give refugee status to the tens of thousands of West Papuan survivors waiting to go home once the Indonesian military leaves West Papua. It is a shame that the UN has been allowed to pretend that there is no problem and that West Papua is not a colony.

Will Australians call on our government to ask the UN to resume its decolonisation obligations, or will we turn our back on our neighbours in fear of Indonesian colonial rule. I hope Australians will stand up to the challenge.