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| United States cultural anthropologist Dr Eben Kirksey. |
In 1998, United States cultural Anthropologist Dr Eben Kirksey, when he was a
college exchange student, wit-nessed the massacre of more than 150
civilians by Indonesian troops in West Papua, reports the Catholic Leader.
Dr Kirksey will discuss this and other experiences in a talk at St
Joseph's College Gregory Terrace on October 17 in conjunction with the
publication of his new book Freedom in Entangled Worlds - West Papua and the Architecture of Global Power.
Brisbane archdiocese's Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC)
executive officer Peter Arndt, who organised Dr Kirksey's visit, said it
was important for Australians to be aware of the human rights
violations occurring on a regular basis "right on Australia's doorstep".
Over the past decade, Mr Arndt has sought to support the indigenous
West Papuans' struggle for independence. "It's still a very difficult
struggle," he said.
"In the current year, it's obvious security forces are clamping
down on anyone who challenges the status quo. Many arrests and human
rights violations are occurring."
In March this year the CJPC formed part of a demonstration in King
George Square to protest against the treatment of five West Papuan
independence leaders.
The men were initially arrested after Indonesian military units had
used violence against crowds gathered for the Third Papuan People's
Congress in October 2011. A number of unarmed Papuans were killed.
FULL STORY Academic to shed light on massacre (Catholic Leader)
Source More: http://www.cathnews.com/news
