West Papua Conflict

In 1963 Indonesia conducted a military takeover of West Papua, which was expecting to be granted independence by long-time Dutch colonizers.  Since then there has been low-level conflict between native resistance elements and the Indonesian military and police.  Without exception, the Papuan people we met during our stay were openly against the Indonesian presence.  Most of them claimed to have relatives in the resistance.

Some links on recent West Papua developments:

Conflict background and list of major events
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_conflict

Attack on soldiers and retaliation by military in Wamena, June 2012:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA21/020/2012/en

Some rare international media coverage- of deaths in Abepura in October 2011
http://www.smh.com.au/world/bodies-at-west-papua-barracks-20111020-1ma6e.html

Youtube video of the 2011 Abepura violence. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU3cDXsfirQ&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.id%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D3%26ved%3D0CDEQFjAC%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.youtube.com%252Fwatch%253Fv%253DZU3cDXsfirQ%26ei%3DcDxMUKuaBMfnrAfUrIDYBg%26usg%3DAFQjCNHV2neQrbbsXKdqE4eqveA3kWgdVg&has_verified=1

Police Arrest Attendees of the Third Papuan Peoples Congress in Abepura October 2011