Yawen Wayeni was killed Aug. 3, 2009. Soldiers sliced open his stomach and intestines. The seven-minute video of his death (see the link in the article) recently circulated on the Internet has raised the social and political problem of the autonomous region of Papua.

Jakarta (AsiaNews / Agencies) – A seven-minute video clip of a group of soldiers slicing open the stomach and intestines of Papuan independence activist Wayeni Yawen (pictured) with a bayonet is circulating on the internet. The video shows Wayeni who, immediately before his death, utters the words "Freedom, Papua... freedom”, and the response of the military:" What? You will never be free ... as long as there are still soldiers. "

Papua, the western part of New Guinea island was annexed by Indonesia in 1969 with a referendum. Over 100 thousand people have since been killed. The separatists continue to demand autonomy, even after Jakarta granted them the status of Autonomous Region in 2001. Tensions have never diminished, also because Jakarta continues to deploy thousands of troops to the region, responsible for killings and arrests.

On August 3, 2009, Wayeni was taken from his home in the village of Matembu, and quartered by some soldiers. A year ago the police had provided a different version of events. According to them, Wayeni was guilty of vandalizing buildings and police vehicles, and was killed with a gun-shot to his stomach because he tried to resist arrest.

The video filmed a year ago was only circulated on the internet in recent days, reopening the issue of social and political situation of the autonomous region of Papua.

Those who protest against the government, organize demonstrations or publically display separatist flags are imprisoned. Once out of jail, many activists have denounced electric shock torture, beatings and cigarette burns.

“Despite all the explanations of how things have changed since the days of Suharto - says Richard Chauvel, an expert in the economic situation in Papua and professor at Victoria University in Australia - the murder of Wayeni is an example that shows how many things have remained the same. "

For Sidney Jones, a member of the International Crisis Group, the situation is still far from resolved: "The government understands that the only way to contain a separatist movement is to pay close attention to political problems. At the same time, Papuans tend to accuse Jakarta for everything that goes wrong, without thinking about what they themselves could do to solve problems. "

Last month, Human Rights Watch published a 40-page report on the plight of prisoners of conscience in Papua. It also tells the story of Felip Karma, 51, who has been granted leave from prison to undergo surgery for prostate problems, one year after the request. Karma testified that "many prisoners are tortured in Papua in a brutal manner."