Al Jazeerah has broadcast a new documentary by Australian film maker Jono Van Hest which gives an insight into the ongoing West Papua Independence struggle and the repression by Indonesisa. Van Hest smuggled cameras into West Papua and allowed West Papuans to tell their own stories.
Related: Thousands rally rejecting special autonomy and demand referendum on independence
In the documentary we hear from the daughter of a seperatist who was drugged and kidnapped, a tribal elder who fears for his culture, a guerrilla fighter who now calls for non-violence and a dancer who risked all by performing a dance involving the banned Morning Star flag. It is symptomatic of the media blackout on West Papua in Australia that this excellent documentary was broadcast not on the ABC or SBS but by Al Jazeerah.
This video can be seen either at Al jazeerah which also includes information from the film maker or on Youtube
A recent article on Indymedia detailed how the fight for independence in West Papua is escalating with a recent rally in West Papua being attended by tens of thousands of protesters.
