Indonesia may have again used the chemical weapon White Phosphorus on indigenous West Papuans in Kiwirok. I am calling for an urgent international investigation into these very serious allegations.

The evidence of chemical weapon use was gathered by the media outlet Paradise Broadcasting in their new film Frontier War. In the film, West Papuan civilians give testimony about a number of children dying from sickness in the months folllowing the 2021 Kiwirok attack. They state that ‘poisoning… occurred due to the bombings’; that ‘they throw the bomb and… chemicals come through the mouth’; that ‘the first time they’re throwing people are not dying… but between one month later or two month later’. Bombings produced big ‘clouds of dust’ and infants suffering the effects could not stop coughing up blood.

White phosphorus is an evil weapon even when used against combatants. It burns through skin and flesh and causes heart and liver failure. But Indonesia is committing these crimes against humanity against defenseless civilians, elders, women and children. Thousands of Papuans in the border region were forced from their villages by these attacks, adding to the over 85,000 who are still internally displaced by militarisation.

Indonesia previously used white phosphorus in Nduga in December 2018. Journalists uncovered that victims were suffering deep burns down to the bone, typical with the weapon, as well as photographing yellow tipped bombs which military sources confirmed “appear to be incendiary or white phosphorus”. The same yellow tipped explosives were discovered in Kiwirok, and the fins from the recovered munitions are consistent with white phosphorus. As usual, Indonesia lied about using white phosphorus in Nduga. They have also lied about even the existence of the Kiwirok attack – an operation that led to the deaths of over 300 men, women, and children. They lie, lie, lie.

We will not have proof of these attacks, of the atrocities being perpetrated daily against my people, until Indonesia opens West Papua to the eyes of the world. West Papua is a prison island: no journalists, NGOs, or aid organisations are allowed to operate there. Even the UN is totally banned. Indonesia’s entire strategy in West Papua is secrecy. Their crimes have been hidden from the world for decades, through a combination of internet blackouts, repression of domestic journalists, and refusal of access to international media.

Indonesia must urgently facilitate the long-delayed UN Human Rights visit to West Papua, and allow journalists and NGOs to operate there without fear of imprisonment or repression. The MSG, PIF and the OACPS must again increase the pressure on Indonesia to allow a UN visit. The fake amnesty proposed by Prabowo is contradictory as it does not also include a UN visit. Even if ten, twenty activists are released, our right to political expression is totally banned.

Ultimately, Indonesia must open their eyes to the only long-term solution in West Papua: self-determination through an independence referendum.

Benny Wenda
Interim President
ULMWP

Shot from ‘Frontier War’