From Brisbane, Australia.

From Brisbane, Australia. Why does Indonesia ban foreign journalists reporting from West Papua?

The fourth Estate – Journalism:

The fourth estate is one of the most fundamental institutions, which signifies a relatively free and democratic society. For all intents and purposes it is charged with ensuring transparency, equity and accountability of all other estates.

Any government that dismantles or restricts vital institutions such as the media from exercising free press to maintain checks and balances should be called upon to answer and held accountable.

Turning a blind eye and allowing the media blackout to continue for as long as it has in West Papua is one of the greatest acts of injustice the free world has ever perpetuated.

This dark shroud of secrecy has created a dangerous vacuum in which Indonesia’s oppressive government has managed to operate unchecked for decades, exercising state sanctioned murders, gross violations of human rights, and systematically silencing and driving into exile any voice that dares to utter the word freedom.

Australia as a free country prides itself on such notions, that we are an egalitarian and multicultural society, often endorsing overused colloquial catchcries’ such as “fair go”; and in comparison to other progressive western democracies this assertion stands true.

However, in the context of the current discourse the latter could not be further from the truth; for it seems that as a nation, our governments have always chosen to trade our moral obligation to appease Indonesia. Indeed, there is something fundamentally wrong when we ignore the blackout, and choose not to acknowledge the atrocities in West Papua.

Turning a blind eye to the cries of our neighbour is the ultimate betrayal, but not for long, because the movement for change is slowly but surely gaining momentum.

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