ETAN protests at Freeport HQ in Phoenix, AZ

ETAN joined other human rights and environmental groups at protest outside the headquarters of Freeport McMoRan in Phoenix, AZ. Freeport runs one of the largest mines in the world in West Papua. Other groups participating included Sierra Club, IWW and Occupy Phoenix. Thanks to Crazy-Man Docs for the video.

Remarks by ETAN's Chris Lundry at Freeport demo:

Read the monthly West Papua Report

Support ETAN in 2013

Occupy Freeport Friday Feb 3

Statement for Phoenix Occupy Freeport DemonstrationFriday, February 3, 2012

The East Timor and Indonesian Action Network (ETAN), in conjunction with the Industrial Workers of the World and Occupy Phoenix will be protesting the Freeport-McMoRan Corporation at their headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday, February 3, from 4-6 p.m. We are acting in solidarity with the people of West Papua to bring attention to Freeport's egregious human, labor, and environmental rights problems.  

In New York, ETAN will hold an Occupy Freeport event Friday from from 6-7:30 p.m., 60 Wall Street Atrium in Manhattan an important meeting place for OccupyWallStreet.

From the statement issued in support of these events:

We believe that Freeport-McMoRan must be held accountable for its atrocious record. We also believe that Freeport should listen to its West Papuan workers' demands for better working conditions and pay, and should be required to clean up the grave environmental damage it has caused in West Papua. While Freeport is not responsible for all of the political turmoil in West Papua, we are convinced that its actions are making the situation worse. Token payments to West Papuans and increased royalties to the central government are not substitutes for genuine control by Papuans over their resources.

Read the full statement here

Allan Nairn speaks on East Timor, Indonesia, ETAN, Occupy Wall Street and more

Allan Nairn at OccupyWall Street's ThinkTank. Photo by John M. Miller/ETAN

Journalist/Activist Allan Nairn's reporting has been crucial in exposing U.S. complicity with human rights and war crimes by Indonesia's security forces. He has forcefully urged that U.S. officials be held accountable for their crimes against humanity.

On November 12, 1991, Nairn with Amy Goodman witnessed the Santa Cruz massacre in Dili, the capitol of East Timor. Nairn was beaten and had his skull cracked. Their reports of the massacre inspired the founding of ETAN, and Nairn has served as a key advisor to ETAN and was a member of its Steering Committee. 

In January, Nairn spoke about the successful movement to support East Timor's self-determination and restrict U.S. military assistance to Indonesia  and its significance for Occupy Wall Street and today's global movements for justice.

On January 5, Nairn spoke at an event organized by ETAN. On January 9, he spoke at an event organized by OccupyWallStreet Think Tank.

View the video of the two talks here.

Occupy Jakarta on Papua and Freeport

Max Lane reports that Occupy Jakarta's general assembly passed a resolution on Papua after a week's debate.

"The main points were: an end to all violence against the people of Papua; withdraw the army and police from Papua; freeze Freeport and its assets and hand over its future to a decision of the Freeport workers, local people and traditional leaders; Indonesia must immediately improve infrastructural, health and education facilities; a free dialogue between the Papuan people, Indonesian people and government on the future of Papua, excluding anybody who has received funds from Freeport; democratic rights for the Papuan people as well as efforts to increase productivity there; end stigmatisation of Papuans as criminals or separatists; bring Freeport to justice for human rights violations, environmental damage and violence towards workers; and Freeport to agree to the wage demands of Freeport workers."

Occupy Jakarta, inspired by Occupy Wall Street pickets daily outside the Jakarta stock exchange. It can be found on Facebook and Twitter.