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BRIEF CHRONOLOGY OF OPM 1964-2001 Submitted by "John Smith" Introduction The Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM) or Free Papua Movement (FPM) has been the sole widely representative body for the independence aspirations of the people of West Papua all through the past 37 years of the struggle. However, there has never been clear information about the history, objectives and strategy of the OPM for people outside of West Papua and as a result there is perceived confusion and lack of understanding of the struggle. It is therefore important to present this brief history, current strategy and structure of the OPM to help clear any confusion so that the potential for support for the West Papua struggle can be realized. All people of West Papua are supporters of OPM. In the beginning the OPM was established by military men to sabotage the Act Of Free Choice but since then it has evolved to be an organization with both military and political wings. The past strategy of the OPM was to use firepower to challenge the authoritarian, military Indonesian Government under Suharto. In this context the OPM operated under total suppression and in isolation from the outside world. At the same time, Indonesia worked to divide the independence movement and as a result the OPM was split into two main factions. In more recent history, these factions have been forced to reconcile under pressure from young, educated West Papuans who see that a unified OPM is important to advance the struggle. Although an MOU exists since 1985 between these factions, in reality the process of reconciliation is still ongoing. Sometimes West Papuan representatives abroad still reflect their factional bias, which can cause confusion about the present policy and strategy of the OPM. At the same time, the process of building unity amongst West Papuans continues and the commitment to this process is strong. We recognize that the changing international and regional context means West Papua independence is now inevitable. West Papua occupies a strategic position between Asia and the Pacific regions and between Muslim and Christian dominated societies. It is our belief that the process of resolution of independence for West Papua has the potential to either stabilize or destabilize the region. This is our bargaining power. It also has led the OPM to see it is now possible to solve the problem of West Papua independence without violence. Therefore, the OPM policy and strategy in recent years is to maintain a balance between firepower and diplomacy, while at the same time building a united West Papua leadership that is wise and strategic and can lead West Papua towards true independence.... [excerpted] http://www.theblacklist.net/Feature/WestPapua.htm KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News") http://www.kabar-irian.com

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