President Yudhoyono working visit to West Papua

Almost all national newspapers in Indonesia made a long report on President Yudhoyono working visit to West Papua. In contrast none of Free West Papua propaganda did upload the report of President Yudhoyono visit to West Papua in their website. In order to be balance, Papua Story thinks it worth to be noted that there are so many positive developments in West Papua. Attention from Indonesian President to West Papua is one of many other facts that the central government of Indonesia cares about West Papuan people.

Here the stories from several sources:

President to visit West Papua

Nethy Dharma Somba , The Jakarta Post , Manokwari | Thu, 01/22/2009 1:49 PM | The Archipelago

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will officiate several projects in West Papua province during his visit Thursday to Mansinam Island in Doreh Bay, just off the coast from the provincial capital Manokwari.

First Lady sad over fast growing of AIDS in Indonesia

Jakarta (ANTARA News) January 15th 2009

First Lady Mrs Ani Yudhoyono expressed sadness over the spread of AIDS in Indonesia which is said to be the fastest in Asia.

The First Lady expressed her sadness when she addressed a students` pledge ceremony on `How To Say No To Drugs and Free Sex` at Halim Perdanakusuma`s Puri Ardhya Garini Hall, here on Thursday.

She said that misuse of narcotics and free sex were not part of Indonesia`s culture and were against the religions professed by the nation.

He ain’t heavy, he’s a brother from Papua

A very touchy story from Jakarta Post

This is a must for all Papuan to read it. This an objective writing from personal experience that the government in Jakarta and Papua should read also. We are ordinary people are torn apart only for nothing but power struggle.

Wed, 01/14/2009 3:42 PM | Opinion

A long time ago in the late 1930s, when my mother was about nine years old, she suddenly acquired a younger brother called Martin.

Or should I say uncle? Martin was the adoptive son of Anah, my mum’s grandaunt who was married to Mandias, a jolly, warm and kind Adventist minister. Opa (grandpa) Mandias, as my mum called him, was half-Manadonese, half-Dutch, short and pale-skinned, while Nini (grandma) Anah was tall and dark, so they were a pretty oddball couple.

Though technically her uncle, Martin was about four years younger than she, a hyperactive and naughty little boy, grabbing everything he saw and, as he got older, playing tricks on other kids, including my mum.

Hundreds of Papuans in PNG gear up for repatriation to Indonesia

News from RNZI

Posted at 02:42 on 09 January, 2009 UTC

More than 700 West Papuans living in Papua New Guinea have put their names on a list at the Indonesian Embassy in Port Moresby ahead of their planned repatriation to Indonesia.

An Indonesian embassy official in Port Moresby has told the Post Courier newspaper that the West Papuans had given their names for voluntary repatriation.

Abdul Hakim says their return is planned between February and April.

He says most of the Papuans had realised that the current conditions in Papua had improved since 2001 when the province became autonomous and want to return to their home.

Many had fled across the land border to escape separatist violence.