West Papua – asylum seekers and lessons from their existence in UK

The current Indonesian government has done a very good job in advancing democracy and human rights. However, we should also understand that in the country face of some very difficult challenges. But regardless of how difficult the challenges facing the Indonesian administration are, the stark fact still remains that there are human rights abuses continuing to be inflicted on West Papuans by some in the Indonesian military.

One of the victims of human rights abuses is Benny Wenda and his family who become asylum seekers in UK. It is understandable that Benny wenda was hurt so bad by Indonesian security aparatus. But who didn’t get hurt in the militaristic government of Indonesia before the reform era? Most Indonesian were lived underpressure, many of which suffered human rights abuses. But now change has come, I would say, Indonesia for about ten years 1998-2008 is under the era of transition to fully democratic. The transition by the reform program is reaching the possible peak that Indonesia could touch.