Yes, this was in the late 1980s - fascinating place. Hopped over from Biak which is another interesting place, but for different reasons. The Japanese had dug themselves in the cave system, and the US couldn't budge them. Eventually petrol and TNT was used to burn them in situ and I think 5,000 were killed.
On Irian, the feeling of fear in the capital Jayapura was quite obvious and people really didn't want to open up for fear of being grassed up. I was aware of their plight and one or two did open up (in hushed whispers) and said it was so bad that you couldn't trust your neighbour as he was likely to grass you up, and then you would more than likely disappear. I can't remember what they called the rebel leader - something like Dr Mick. Anyway, transmigrasi was hated, and every post (and I mean every, or maybe that is embellishing a bit) of officialdom was occupied by a Javanese. Can't recall whether you had to get a pass (surat jalan - supposedly free!!!) to go to certain parts of the island - and some parts were strictly off limits - or just to enter the island. Whatever, you had to sign in everywhere you went so the police knew your exact movements. Although there was no official reason for parts being off limits, it was obvious that this was where they were fighting. I did hear a story that the army used to find it too hard to get to the rebels so dropped poisoned pigs into the jungle to try and get to the rebels. Didn't hang around too long in Jayapura, and moved in land to Wamena which was much smaller, and didn't have the same morbid atmosphere.
There, did a 10 day hike, staying in local's huts etc but not talking politics. I am not sure that the Baliem Valley is a hotspot of trouble, and I am not sure what exposure they really had to the news and what was going on elsewhere.
Last edited by angelman; 25-01-2012 at 10:25 AM.
Well to her they probably were - all 'white boys' look the same.Originally Posted by Citizen67
"The whole point of the liberal revolution that gave rise to the 1960’s was to free us from somebody else’s dogma, but now the same people…are striving to impose on others a secularized religion…" Richard Bernstein
Next stage: got her name (peggy-jewel?) and she will be investigated by bosses at the and hopefully punished /reprimanded and other staff retrained and she used as an example of what not to do/how to behave.
People should be bred like Horses.
Police have just phoned me, they agree with my version of what happened and think that her behaviour was bang out of order. Next they will be reprimanding her and playing her the tape and asking for an explanation and why she kept on goading me when I had explained the situation right at the beginning, she will be put on a "watch", her previous record checked and if she has had any other complaints against her hopefully she will be in even more trouble. I'm trying to get the call incorporated into any future training for Police Operators as to what not to do. So I have won round #1 working on round#2 and once i get the final decision, work on Round #3. It is worth complaining. wear the B*****ds out!
People should be bred like Horses.
The Police are Racist, yeah, the Black ones.!
People should be bred like Horses.
I think I'll try and get a recording for myself, and I felt it was quite clearly a Racist incident if i had said, "A bunch of White Boys" or "A bunch of Asian Boys" she would had said nothing. Going to push this one a bit further.
People should be bred like Horses.
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