Obama: Throwing Papua Under the Bus

In an article entitled "A Forgotten Cause", Peter Tatchell sheds light on the plight of the West Papuans, many of whom are Christians and have suffered under Indonesia's brutal policy of ethnic and religious persecution. The untold story though is how the Obama campaign would sell out the West Papuans in a desperate attempt to protect Obama's presidential bid.

On the 3rd of July 2007, U.S. Congressman Eni Faleomavaega would touch down in Jakarta, Indonesia. A staunch outspoken critic of Jakarta's rule over West Papua, New Guinea and a crusader for West Papua’s right to self-determination, the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Asia, The Pacific and the Global Enviroment, Faleomavaega promised to be a force to be reckoned with.

Having been barred from visiting Papau by the Indonesian government, Faleomavaega would instead settle for a private meeting in Jakarta with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Barnabas Suebu the governor for the Indonesian province of Papau. The Papuan issue though wasn't the only thing on Faleomavaega's mind, being one of Barack Obama's most devoted disciples, Faleomavaega would be seeking the Indonesian government's assistance in supporting Barack Obama's presidential campaign as well as making the requisite pilgrimage to Barack Obama's childhood school.

According to our Indonesian sources, "officials" who accompanied Faleomavaega were interested in acquiring any and all documentation or photographs of a young Barry Soetoro for America's "national archives" and they were offering cash, lots of it. In a show of faith, Barack Obama's childhood school would be one of the very first beneficiaries of this outpouring receiving thousands of dollars to upgrade the school and for the purchase of computer equipment, thanks in part to the benevolence of this visiting junket.

The challenge of course was securing Indonesian goverment records potentially damaging to Barack Obama's candidacy for the US presidency as well as other records pertaining to a young Barry Soetoro and his family wouldn't be so easy to acquire and secure, and for this, the visitors would need the assistance and cooperation of the Indonesian government.

It's not that getting Indonesian government help is difficult, it's not. It's no secret that Indonesia is one of the most corrupt countries on the planet, but we're not talking about the challenge of dealing with corrupt government officials here, but rather, dealing with the "true believers of change". Convincing the Indonesian government that an Obama presidency will be able to deliver that "change" and that it was in the interest of both countries to see that Barack Obama was elected was nothing more than a fait accompli for Faleomavaega's entourage.

For West Papau's governor in attendance, having been pacified at the prospect that an Obama presidency would enable him to make zillions trading carbon credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange, Barnabas Suebu would sit quietly as the fate of West Papau was decided.

The only issue of contention Faleomavaega would face from the Indonesian government would be the issue of West Papau. In the end, it was simply a give and take situation. The Obama campaign needed assistance from the Indonesian government and the Indonesian government wanted a free hand in Papau.

Later concerning Faleomavaega's meeting, Indonesian presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal would have this to say: "One thing that is sure is that Faleomevaega's visit here has changed his views about Indonesia. It has made him realize this country is so vast and complex it cannot be reduced by the Papua issue..." Dino said Faleomavaega was known as a US Congress member who often commented on the Papuan issue but now he had changed his views. "He now sees that Papua is inalienable part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia."

Faleomevaega's and meeting with Indonesia's president regarding West Papau and his subsequent flipflop on supporting West Papau's right to self-determination is something that you might think would warrant at least a press release on the congressman's website, but there is nothing, nor is there any mention on the House Subcommittee's site. No press release, nothing, not even a mere mention of his trip to Indonesia.

In the end, everyone got what they wanted, all to the detriment of the West Papuans.

The is no denying the fact that the prospects of an Obama presidency has emboldened the Indonesian government's brutal repression in Papau. In an earlier article, we would explain in detail how an Obama presidency would stoke ethnic and religious chauvinism in Indonesia and how Indonesia's Islamic fundamentalists will use an Obama presidency to radicalize a new contingent of militants from the ranks of Islam's moderates. Individuals who are mesmerized by the phantasmagorical image of one of their own now inhabiting the White House and who will see it as a sign of America's impending submission and our nation's acquiescence to the superiority of Islam. Tee-shirts blazoned with messianic images of Barack Hussein Obama are already starting to replace the Osama Bin Laden tee-shirts that have been so popular in Indonesia. In Indonesia Barack Obama is fast becoming the "Che Guevara" of Indonesia's young wannabe Islamists.

The Indonesian government is not only failing to protect the West Papuans from the violence of militant Islam, the government is actively stoking the fires of ethnic and religious chauvinism and supporting intimidation againstWest Papuans with many in recent days taking to the streets protesting the introduction of Islamic law.

For Indonesia's national news agency to refer to the US government as the "George Bush administration" highlights the dichotomy of opposing foreign policy positions that are being both presented and exploited by the left. That Indonesia would feel it was safe to renew their campaign of brutal repression in Papau, in the last few months of the current administration, the diplomatic sabotage conducted by the Obama campaign is partially if not wholly responsible.