Peace Writes 2011 1

“WE ARE MELANESIAN, NOT INDONESIAN!” AND “FREE FILIP KARMA!” CHANTED A GROUP OF WEST PAPUANS FROM AROUND AUSTRALIA SOME REFUGEES, SOME STUDYING IN AUSTRALIA ON SCHOLARSHIPS WHO HAD GATHERED IN FRONT OF THE INDONESIAN EMBASSY IN MAROUBRA, SYDNEY, ON FEBRUARY 22, 2011. THIS DEMONSTRATION URGING INDONESIA TO FREE WEST PAPUAN POLITICAL PRISONERS KICKED OFF A WEEK OF EVENTS IN SYDNEY BRINGING TOGETHER ACADEMICS AND OTHER ADVOCATES TO FOCUS ON THE STATUS OF WEST PAPUAN HUMAN RIGHTS. Later that evening, a cocktail reception hosted by the West Papua Project at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPACS), University of Sydney, followed by a dinner for conference participants, marked a merry beginning to a serious conference on Comprehending West Papua (February 23-24, 2011), the sixth in a series of conferences on the topic held by CPACS over a decade. The conference was opened the following day by Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees and a performance group from the West Papuan community in Melbourne, both of whom graced the conference, respectively, with West Papua-centred revolutionary poetry and songs of inspiration. Around 80 people attended the conference, with presenters from The Netherlands, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand and Vanuatu. Interstate presenters came from Victoria and the ACT. A number of papers were also presented in absentia while one presenter, currently based in Florida, addressed the conference via video link. The conference received good media coverage prompting an op-ed in the Sydney Morning Herald by Hamish McDonald (http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/ a-worm-inside-the-new-); several ABC radio interviews http://www.abc.net.au/ra/ asiapac/stories/m1965274.asx; a New Matilda article (http://newmatilda.com/ 2011/03/03/d oes-westpapua-havepubl icity- problemINTERVIEW), and coverage by Radio New Zealand International and SBS. West Papuan political positions were represented by Rex Rumakiek and Otto Ondawame from the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation, Jacob Rumbiak and Herman Wainggai from the West Papua National Authority, and Franzalbert Joku and Nick Messet from IGSSARPRI (the Independent Group Supporting the Special Autonomous Region of Papua within the Republic of Indonesia). Passions ran high as discussions on the different political positions (essentially support for independence or integration) predictably emerged with so much at stake for all, but a respectful atmosphere reigned and peaceful dialogue between parties transpired. Conference paper highlights covered new interpretations of self-determination, from Akihisa Matsuno, in light of the concept of legitimate sovereignty -rather than decolonization- that guided the independence successes of East Timor, Kosovo and (soon to be) South Sudan; P e a c e W r i t e s newsletter 1 THE NEWSLETTER OF PEACE STUDIES, SEMINARS, BOOKS AND PEACE INITIATIVES PeaceWrites EDITO RS – Punam Yadav & Neven Bondokji with assistance from Dr Wendy Lambourne E [email protected] W sydney .edu.au/arts/p eace_conflict/ Mackie Building K01 The University of Sydney - Sydney NSW 2006 Comments and contributions welcome. Photo credits – Lynda-ann Blanchar d, Christopher David Brown, Lesley Carnus, Camellia Webb-Gannon, Kim Dong Jin, Wendy Lambourne , Ken Macnab, Bonaventure Mkandawire. Layout/Graphic Design – Ximena Tapia E [email protected] DISCLAI MER The views in this publication are solely those of the contributors. CENTRE FOR PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY No.2011/01 MAY 2011 Comprehending West Papua: A Report on the CPAS Conference in Sydney and Surrounding Events sydney.edu.au/arts/peace_conflict/ Contents Comprehending West Papua 1 Using Violence in the Name of Peace 2 ‘The Revolution of Frustrated Wills’ 3 Power Play 3 Women and Fundamentalism in 5 Islam and Catholicism: A Book Review Hopes, Fears and Progress at the 7 Refugee Language Program News Goo and BDS 8 Anti-Media Law Threatens Freedom 9 in Malawi Justice for All? 10 Unfortunate Souls: Reflections on Hong 11 Kong’s Cage Dwellers POSCO’s Plunder: Development for Whom? 12 Submission….. 14 Visiting Scholars in Residence at CPACS 14 Special Thanks! 15 Japan in the World: A Book Review 16 Towards New Peace Studies: A Japanese 17 Odyssey TRANSCEND Pacific-Oceania Network 19 Obstacles to Democratization in 20 Southeast Asia: A Book Review Rotary Peace Fellowship: My Journey 20 So Far WikiLeaks Cables: Will the World Now 22 Intervene over Torture in Kashmir? Indian Journalist Takes AFP Prize 23 for Kashmir Work CPACS Community 24 Jacob Rumbiak and John Ondowame by Cammi Webb-Gannon

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Peace Writes 2011 1