Papua in Sight

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Papua in Sight, waar gaat het boek over?Barriers and BeyondPapua in Sight – Barriers and Beyond is a powerful essay divulging one of the least known and longest unresolved subnational conflicts in the Pacific. Right now, behind Indonesian walls that bar foreign media, (UN) diplomats and humanitarian organizations, the Papuan provinces of Indonesia are marked by massive militarization, increasing bloodshed and more than 100.000 internally displaced persons living in dire circumstances. For over 60 years, the former Dutch colony of Papua, on the western half of the immense tropical island New Guinea, has been the site of repression by Indonesian security forces and resistance by the Indigenous Papuan population. Widespread abuses of human rights, the desire for self-determination and large-scale exploitation of customary land, fuel the unrest. The essay is a clear, well-documented and concise overview of the complex historical and sociopolitical root causes of the conflicts. The author’s personal story of her grandfather’s mountain expedition to the glacial summits of Netherlands New Guinea in 1936, as well as her first-hand experiences during travels and field research for maternal and child health care, are entwined with the alarming narrative. Full-color photographs and useful references enhance the book even further. Over de auteur Madelyn Van Rijckevorsel Madelyn van Rijckevorsel (b. 1950) is a Dutch-American former medical doctor specialized in youth health care and international public health. Her work included public child health care for 0-4-year-olds and teaching positions in the Netherlands. Between 2010 and 2017 she made multiple trips to Papua, Indonesia, spending a total of 25 weeks in the region while independently researching maternal and child health care, including the cultural and sociopolitical context. While immersing herself in daily life and building an extensive network, she became increasingly concerned about the marginalized indigenous popula