Over the university break I attended the Students of Sustainability conference in Brisbane which focuses on social justice and the environment. There I was informed on many issues. I discovered that the land which I was standing on was stolen from its traditional owners, the Turrbal people. I learnt about the past and continued genocide of the Aboriginal people, about the new push for an expansion of nuclear industries in Australia, about the urgency for us to act on climate change, about the growing exports of coal from Newcastle and Queensland further locking us into climate disaster and the struggles of palm plantation workers in Indonesia who earn only $1-3 for a full days work.

I was also informed of West Papuan people's struggle for independence and the price they have paid in opposing the environmental destruction and social damage caused by the Freeport copper and gold mine of which Rio Tinto is a major stake holder. The mine has completely destroyed the local river system and 100,000 square kilometres have been choked by the dumping of the mines tailings.

Rio Tinto has also hired the Indonesian military as a private security force despite full knowledge of their human rights abuses and their continued oppression of the West Papuan people. A report by an Australian anthropologist found that at least 160 West Papuans had been killed in and around the mine between 1975 and 1997 without a single perpetrator being brought to justice. So, not only has Rio Tinto stolen land from the indigenous Amungme and Kamoro peoples, created mass environmental destruction, and ruined the local communities’ way of life, but they have also hired the Indonesian military as hitmen to take out anyone who raises their voice against the corporations’ practices.

Students at the conference decided to act in solidarity with the West Papuan people by making their way to the Rio Tinto building in Brisbane. There they laid down 160 crosses representing the 160 lives that Rio Tinto was responsible for taking. They demanded that a spokesperson of the company come out and explain themselves. After some time a representative came out and accepted a letter signed by over 300 students demanding Rio Tinto cease their operations in West Papua.

The group then gave two minutes of silence in respect to those killed in West Papua and were joined by passing members of the public, the media and the police. It is unclear whether those inside the Rio Tinto building participated in the silence.

The vigil ended with a passing tourist from France who applauded the students for their courage and highlighted how important it was for the people to have their voices heard by participating in such events.

To find out more about the struggle for West Papuan Independence and the role of Australia, the US and corporations such as Rio Tinto in inhibiting it then visit www.freewestpapua.com

Dany Boulos