The Honorable Eni F.H.
Faleomavaega (D-AS), a former member of the U.S.
House of Representatives, passed away on February
22, 2017. Faleomavaega represented American Samoa
as its Delegate in Congress for 13 terms from 1989
to 2015.
Delegate Faleomavaega was an
articulate and effective advocate for the defense of
human rights in West Papua and long worked for a
peaceful resolution of the serious problems
confronting Papuans. He engaged persistently with
U.S. and Indonesian Government officials toward
these ends.
His travel to West
Papua and extensive contact with Papuans reflected a
deep sincerity and good will toward the Papuan
people and the peoples of the broader region which
he knew so well. He drew upon this knowledge and
experience and the broad respect accorded him by his
Congressional colleagues and others to advise
several U.S. Administrations regarding policy toward
West Papua and toward Indonesia.
His travel to West Papua and
extensive contact with Papuans reflected a
deep sincerity and good will toward the
Papuan people and the peoples of the broader
region which he knew so well.
In 2010, in his
capacity as the Chairman of the House Foreign
Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the
Global Environment, Del. Faleomavaega
convened the first
hearing in the history of the U.S. Congress to
include testimony from West Papua's traditional and
religious leaders. and human rights advocates.
In 2007, he traveled to West Papua. The visit
was heavily restricted by the Indonesian government,
including not being allowed to visit Jayapura. On
his return,
Faleomavaega wrote to President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono protesting that the visit had been limited
"to only two hours of actual meetings with the
leaders and people of Biak and Manokwari due to
supposedly security concerns." During the visit, he
forced his way through barricades to talk with
Papuans denied entry to official meetings. He wrote
that "I was deeply disturbed by the overpowering
military presence, which I felt was completely
unnecessary."
During his years in Congress,
Del. Faleomavaega worked with members of the Congressional
Black Caucus on a number of
letters and
statements and
legislation advocating for West Papua.
Faleomavaega's
interest in West Papua derived in part from a sense
of personal responsibility to carry forward the work
of his Samoan relatives who are buried in West Papua
and in honor of all those who have lived the
struggle.
In July 2011
he was honored with the "John Rumbiak Human
Rights Defenders Award" by the U.S.-based West Papua
Advocacy Team.
His passing is a loss for
his many friends in the West Papuan community and
those in the broader international community who
support their struggle for freedom.
Note:
Delegates to Congress from U.S. territories can
serve and vote on committees, but not on the floor
of the House of Representatives.
ETAN is "A voice
of reason, criticizing the administration's reluctance to
address ongoing human rights violations and escalating
oppression in West Papua and against religious minorities
throughout Indonesia."
