33 years of Indonesian rule have resulted in the deaths of 100,000 West Papuans. The Indonesian government claims that the actions of the West Papuan Freedom movement (the OPM) force it to resort to violence. However, the OPM alleges that the military itself is orchestrating acts of terror, such as the recent murder of two American school teachers, in an attempt to justify further intervention. The government has also been implicated in the murder of the Independence leader Theys Eluway. There is a real danger that the violence of East Timor's struggle for independence will be echoed in West Papua - not least because General Simbolan, who previously controlled East Timor at the height of Indonesia's brutal occupation, is now military commander in West Papua. However all requests for an international investigation have been ignored. John Rumbiak, West Papua's leading human rights investigator despairs, "We are going to be finished one day soon ... are you going to wait until it's too late?"

Produced by ABC Australia