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West Papua faces a hidden political and humanitarian crisis. Conflict over the right to self-determination and sovereignty over accelerating industrial development has led to repression, extrajudicial killings, torture and disappearances. An extensive network of state and corporate security forces targets activists, clergy, students, local politicians and customary leaders through intensive military intelligence operations. The United Nations estimates that there are between 60,000 and 100,000 internally displaced people in West Papua since violence escalated in 2018 — up to 2 per cent of the population of 5.6 million. This mass displacement is largely driven by foreign investors and their palm oil plantations, often located on traditional land that local people fiercely defend. These plantations are often heavily militarised and frequently the site of human rights violations. Britain’s military and financial institutions are entangled in the exploitation and repression of West Papua. The British government supports the Indonesian military through arms exports and jungle warfare training, while British companies and investors profit from mining, gas extraction and plantation projects that local people staunchly oppose.

CYRIL COX