Filming for the rights of the Papuan people and land · Global Voices
Screenshot from the film ‘Perempuan Di Tanahnya‘. Source: YouTube
This edited article was published on April 21 by WITNESS, an international organization that supports people using video in their fight for human rights. It has been republished on Global Voices under a content partnership agreement.
Since Indonesian forces annexed West Papua in the 1960s, Papuan citizens have faced relentless human rights abuse and environmental damage as Indonesia plunders its resource-rich land. The region is host to the American and British-owned Freeport mine, the largest gold mine in the world, which has effectively poisoned the local river system and reduced a sacred mountain to a crater. Amnesty International estimates that at least 100,000 West Papuans have been killed by the Indonesian military so far, although some studies suggest the number could be higher.
On top of the exploitation and genocidal acts by authorities, restrictions placed on international journalists in the region and throttling of the internet have made obtaining information on the region extremely difficult. Films such as those produced by West Papuan filmmaker <PERSON> help highlight environmental, Indigenous campaigns, and land rights issues that may not be visible to the rest of the world. WITNESS Asia interviewed her to get her insight into the Papuan struggle for independence.
WITNESS Asia (WA): Most of your films are about the Keerom Regency, where you are from. Can you begin by telling us more about it?
<PERSON> (IYF): Within Keerom Regency, only about 30 percent of the population is made up of people who are indigenous to Keerom. The other 60 percent are not Papuans, while the remaining 10 percent consist of people from other parts of Papua.
Oil palm trees were first brought here to Papua, specifically to Keerom, on the instruction of the Indonesian government. At that time, Keerom was categorized as a “red zone” and the Indigenous community was deported to Papua New Guinea, the neighboring country. While they were away, many of their crops were seized and replaced with palm oil trees.
Therefore, the entry of oil palm into the regency did not happen with the customary consent of the Indigenous people. There were many illicit incidents during that period (1983–1997).
<PERSON>: What inspired you to get started in filmmaking and how did it happen?
<PERSON>: I can still see cases of illegal violations of the border area of ​​Keerom. I still see the aftermath of these incidents. 202
I took the plunge into the world of filmmaking because I felt that my world has been ruined and I wished to create awareness among the community.
The current state system is destroying the property of the people and the local customs. There are also systems of giving money to the Indigenous people as a way to bribe them into giving away the remaining land that has not yet been used by the government. Conflict has been created to deceive the Indigenous people and take away the remaining land to be used for oil palm. So, as a native woman in my area, I felt that it was my responsibility to take action.
I cried when I saw the nature around me being destroyed. I felt called to make films about the environment and that motivated me to join the Papuan Voices film community.
I have no background knowledge in films, but I’ve always enjoyed taking photos. At first, there were only five of us who participated in the one-day training. But because of my intentions, I became attracted to the world of filmmaking. Friends in the Papuan Voices community taught me a lot about filming, editing, and how to make good films. It was there that we first went on the ground to make films, and where I made my first film.
Papuan Voices film community. Photo from WITNESS Asia.
WA: How have films helped as a tool for activism and advocacy in West Papua?
IYF: Indigenous people are easily deceived by so-called investors or the government looking to take advantage of them. But films help them quickly understand and be aware of issues, which enables them to protect the nature around them or directly work on the issues they are facing.
As education is not accessible to everyone, the communities in Papua are mostly illiterate. The Indigenous people don’t have access to education, so we advocate through films.
I mostly record videos of “infestations” of oil palm in my area. Because of oil palm plantations today, many Indigenous people do not have a place to grow crops or raise livestock, and so they are forced to depend on the government for their livelihood.
My films, which are situated in the context of the economic needs of the Indigenous people, have been screened and watched by many — within the community, among academics, and also among the activists. 253