BBC to air undercover report on West Papua tonight

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BBC to air undercover report on West Papua tonight

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The BBC is to air an undercover report on West Papua tonight . The report will focus on the ongoing struggle in the country for its independence from Indonesian rule whose government has been accused of illegally occupying the country and reportedly killing hundreds of thousands ever since it occupuied the country. Situated in the western half of the island of New Guinea, West Papua was given its independence from Dutch rule in the 1960s, while Indonesia had been given its independence in the end of the 1940s, having been both Dutch colonies.

On acquiring independence West Papua was invaded by Indonesian military within months, resulting in a conflict with the Netherlands, Indonesia and West Papua's indigenous nation. Ever since, genocide and breaches of the nation's human rights under Indonesian rule have been reported. The country is also environmentally unique and its environment is being destroyed to make way for various mineral extraction companies. It is also reported that genocidal strategies have been used for these ends.

The ongoing struggle has been very much peripheral to the international media's eye, but more recently, thanks to the efforts of international groups, the situation has come to light.

In October last year, there was a definite turning point for West Papua, as it gained the international support it needed when exiled chief,West Papuan independence leader and chairman of the Koteka Tribal Assembly, Benny Wenda, went to UK Parliament and "International Parliamentarians for West Papua" which was officially launched two months later, in December . The initiative counted with the support of International Parliamentarias including Andrew Smith MP, Lord Harries and many others including Parliamentarians from Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu and many more.

The report will be aired at 10.30pm (local time).

*Related links:

Free West Papua

IPWP (International Parliamentarians for West Papua)