Celebrating 10 years: West Papua Office (Docklands)

Radical Australia

This week we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the West Papua Office in Docklands - the only office in the world housing members of the West Papuan transitional government. There you will find its Foreign Affairs minister, Jacob Rumbiak, who has been in the struggle for his land's liberation since he was a young boy and who spent 10 years in prison for his threat to colonial Indonesia as an academic. Jacob came to Australia in 1999. There in the office you will also find Louise Byrne: general dogsbody and veteran of the Free West Timor movement. Louise says that one of the biggest advocacy purposes of the office is to encourage Australia to support the United Nations to conduct a fact-finding mission to West Papua. Close to 100 sovereign nations have so far pledged support for this effort. The West Papuan freedom movement claims colonial Indonesia carries out cultural genocide against its people and exploits its rich resources (have you ever heard of Grasberg mine?..). Indonesia claims West Papua to be its own, from land, to sea and sky. With the support of the West Papua Rent Collective, convened by our very own Joe Toscano, the West Papuan community here in Melbourne is able to conduct its work, hold events and educate us on its liberation movement. They work extremely hard. Jacob claims the office has given the movement a clearer direction, has made it real and given them Big Hope. We are so pleased to support the office and encourage you to attend its Open Day on Sunday August 4th, 838 Collins Street, Docklands. Entry via rear of the building. 1pm lunch kickoff. It is important we educate ourselves on the history of our close neighbour and we are honoured to welcome Jacob and Louise to the show this week. Merdeka!www.greenleft.org.au/content/mine-centre-west-papuas-colonisation(l to r): Convenor of the West Papua Rent Collective, Joe Toscano, with Lousie Byrne and Jacob Rumbiak from the West Papua Office.Louise sports a brooch of the Raggiana - the most popular Bird Of Paradise in West Papua. The Raggiana used to be trafficked along the Silk Road to Persia and England where ladies at the races sported the feathers in their hats.