The West Papuan genocide

United Nations malfeasance and the failure of international law

Abstract

Intentionally breaching multiple articles of the UN Charter and associated resolutions governing decolonisation, the Secretariat of the United Nations denied the inhabitants of the Non-Self-Governing Territory registered as Netherlands New Guinea their legal right to self-determination and planned independence. Reports by legal scholars, human rights organisations, intelligence agencies and UN organs allege the people are being subjected to a programme of systematic genocide. Re-evaluating the death count, Indonesia and those backing her, are now responsible for the death of at least 2.5 million people. Despite the multiple pathways available to have these breaches of international law and human rights atrocities addressed by the organs of the United Nations and the international courts, Member States and the responsible UN organs have refused to act. With the Papuan people having no legal standing under the UN Charter, and the UN Secretariat and Member States immune from prosecution, there appear no legal mechanisms to hold them to account.