Latest news with #JoeCollins
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
The Colony Next Door -West Papua
Press Release – AWPA Joe Collins of AWPA said, 'Yes, the international community recognises Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua, and West Papua is not on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories, but it should be'. 21 May 2025 The Special Committee on Decolonization (C24) is set to meet in Dili, Timor-Leste, from May 21 to 23, 2025 for its Pacific Regional Seminar . The event is part of the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, which spans from 2021 to 2030. As the Committee meets in Dili, there will be blind spot in their discussions, the forgotten colony next door-West Papua. Joe Collins of AWPA said, 'Yes, the international community recognises Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua, and West Papua is not on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories, but it should be'. A colony is a country or area under the full or partial political control of another country, typically a distant one, and occupied by settlers from that country. West Papua is a classic case. 62 years ago, the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) transferred West Papua to Indonesian administration, who then removed it from the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. And yes, Indonesia did hold a referendum in 1969, the so-called 'Act of Free Choice', which was a sham and is referred to by West Papuans as the act of no free choice. The C24 must know about the ongoing human rights abuses in the territory. The situation in the territory is seriously deteriorating with regular armed clashes between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB ) and the Indonesian security forces. West Papuans continue to be arrested at peaceful demonstrations and Papuans risk being charged with treason for taking part in the rallies. There are over 80,000 internally displaced people (IDPs), many facing starvation because they fear returning to their food gardens because of the Indonesian security forces operations in the highlands. Joe Collins said, 'West Papua is a complete failure by the UN to protect the people of West Papua. Although we cannot expect the C24 Committee to review the situation of West Papua at this stage, it is up to the countries in the region to seriously lobby the UN on the human rights situation in the territory. This is a fear from Jakarta, the internationalisation of the issue of West Papua and why Jakarta is targeting the Pacific leaders with aid, to convince them to stop supporting the West Papuan struggle'. Jakarta granted Fiji $6 million in financial aid and offered to cooperate with them on military training. If some of the governments in the region are wavering in their support, the people of the Pacific are not. The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR). has expressed 'deep concern over the Fiji Prime Minister's ongoing engagements with Indonesia'. The Chair of the NGOCHR said 'As members of the Melanesian and Pacific family, bound by shared ancestry and identity, the acceptance of financial and any other benefit from Indonesia—while remaining silent on the plight of West Papua—is a betrayal of our family member and of regional solidarity.' 'True leadership must be rooted in solidarity, justice, and accountability.' The West Papuan people will continue their struggle for self-determination. Time for the countries in the region including Australia to take the issue seriously .
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
The Colony Next Door -West Papua
Press Release – AWPA Joe Collins of AWPA said, 'Yes, the international community recognises Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua, and West Papua is not on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories, but it should be'. 21 May 2025 The Special Committee on Decolonization (C24) is set to meet in Dili, Timor-Leste, from May 21 to 23, 2025 for its Pacific Regional Seminar . The event is part of the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, which spans from 2021 to 2030. As the Committee meets in Dili, there will be blind spot in their discussions, the forgotten colony next door-West Papua. Joe Collins of AWPA said, 'Yes, the international community recognises Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua, and West Papua is not on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories, but it should be'. A colony is a country or area under the full or partial political control of another country, typically a distant one, and occupied by settlers from that country. West Papua is a classic case. 62 years ago, the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) transferred West Papua to Indonesian administration, who then removed it from the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. And yes, Indonesia did hold a referendum in 1969, the so-called 'Act of Free Choice', which was a sham and is referred to by West Papuans as the act of no free choice. The C24 must know about the ongoing human rights abuses in the territory. The situation in the territory is seriously deteriorating with regular armed clashes between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB ) and the Indonesian security forces. West Papuans continue to be arrested at peaceful demonstrations and Papuans risk being charged with treason for taking part in the rallies. There are over 80,000 internally displaced people (IDPs), many facing starvation because they fear returning to their food gardens because of the Indonesian security forces operations in the highlands. Joe Collins said, 'West Papua is a complete failure by the UN to protect the people of West Papua. Although we cannot expect the C24 Committee to review the situation of West Papua at this stage, it is up to the countries in the region to seriously lobby the UN on the human rights situation in the territory. This is a fear from Jakarta, the internationalisation of the issue of West Papua and why Jakarta is targeting the Pacific leaders with aid, to convince them to stop supporting the West Papuan struggle'. Jakarta granted Fiji $6 million in financial aid and offered to cooperate with them on military training. If some of the governments in the region are wavering in their support, the people of the Pacific are not. The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR). has expressed 'deep concern over the Fiji Prime Minister's ongoing engagements with Indonesia'. The Chair of the NGOCHR said 'As members of the Melanesian and Pacific family, bound by shared ancestry and identity, the acceptance of financial and any other benefit from Indonesia—while remaining silent on the plight of West Papua—is a betrayal of our family member and of regional solidarity.' 'True leadership must be rooted in solidarity, justice, and accountability.' The West Papuan people will continue their struggle for self-determination. Time for the countries in the region including Australia to take the issue seriously .
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
The Colony Next Door -West Papua
21 May 2025 The Special Committee on Decolonization (C24) is set to meet in Dili, Timor-Leste, from May 21 to 23, 2025 for its Pacific Regional Seminar . The event is part of the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, which spans from 2021 to 2030. As the Committee meets in Dili, there will be blind spot in their discussions, the forgotten colony next door-West Papua. Joe Collins of AWPA said, "Yes, the international community recognises Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua, and West Papua is not on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories, but it should be". A colony is a country or area under the full or partial political control of another country, typically a distant one, and occupied by settlers from that country. West Papua is a classic case. 62 years ago, the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) transferred West Papua to Indonesian administration, who then removed it from the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. And yes, Indonesia did hold a referendum in 1969, the so-called "Act of Free Choice', which was a sham and is referred to by West Papuans as the act of no free choice. The C24 must know about the ongoing human rights abuses in the territory. The situation in the territory is seriously deteriorating with regular armed clashes between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB ) and the Indonesian security forces. West Papuans continue to be arrested at peaceful demonstrations and Papuans risk being charged with treason for taking part in the rallies. There are over 80,000 internally displaced people (IDPs), many facing starvation because they fear returning to their food gardens because of the Indonesian security forces operations in the highlands. Joe Collins said, "West Papua is a complete failure by the UN to protect the people of West Papua. Although we cannot expect the C24 Committee to review the situation of West Papua at this stage, it is up to the countries in the region to seriously lobby the UN on the human rights situation in the territory. This is a fear from Jakarta, the internationalisation of the issue of West Papua and why Jakarta is targeting the Pacific leaders with aid, to convince them to stop supporting the West Papuan struggle'. Jakarta granted Fiji $6 million in financial aid and offered to cooperate with them on military training. If some of the governments in the region are wavering in their support, the people of the Pacific are not. The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR). has expressed 'deep concern over the Fiji Prime Minister's ongoing engagements with Indonesia'. The Chair of the NGOCHR said 'As members of the Melanesian and Pacific family, bound by shared ancestry and identity, the acceptance of financial and any other benefit from Indonesia—while remaining silent on the plight of West Papua—is a betrayal of our family member and of regional solidarity.' 'True leadership must be rooted in solidarity, justice, and accountability.' The West Papuan people will continue their struggle for self-determination. Time for the countries in the region including Australia to take the issue seriously .
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The cost of giving care: Thousands of Oklahoma veterans and caregivers struggle amid cuts to VA
Joe Collins, a former Army reservist, returned to civilian life after a one-year deployment to Iraq in 2003, got a job and bought a house. That was before blackouts and seizures caused by post-traumatic stress disorder began unraveling his mental health. By 2005, his mother and stepfather became his caregivers, and they began navigating the Department of Veterans Affairs system, spending hundreds of dollars on an ever-changing rotation of prescriptions to treat his PTSD and the gradual development of lower extremity lymphedema, a condition caused by his exposure to burn pits and depleted uranium when serving in the 4th Infantry Division in an area known as the "Triangle of Death." Thousands of veterans in Oklahoma remain without the care they need. Out of the total 286,002 veterans living in the state, 37,863 lacked adequate care, or around 15%, compared to 34,977 who had a caregiver, according to a 10-year study conducted by RAND, a nonprofit research organization. Findings showed that up to 35% of those veterans receiving care live under the 135% poverty line. "There could be misunderstandings between what the veteran needs and what they're hearing, so it's really, from my experience, just a coin toss," Collins said. More: Anxiety, fear at Oklahoma City Veterans Hospital over Trump, Musk 'Fork in the Road' letters Before the end of his presidential term, former President Joe Biden signed H.R. 4518, or the Veterans Caregiver Appeals Reform (CARE) Act, a bill authored by Congressman Don Davis aimed at supporting caregivers by ensuring medical specialists carefully review applications and provide full transparency pertaining to denials. Sweeping efforts to cut the federal workforce, including at the VA, have caused concerns about the level of care for veterans at a time when the need has never been higher. Newly appointed Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, who pledged to cut red tape and get veterans the health care they need, promised during his January confirmation hearing that the VA will continue to make access to health care a priority. "The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act that was signed into law at the start of the year will be life-changing for veterans and their caregivers, family members and survivors,' said Steve Schwab, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation CEO. 'The law was passed with broad bipartisan support, and President Trump was a strong champion of the veteran and caregiver community during his first term, so we anticipate that the new administration will ensure the law delivers on its promises." More: AARP guide helps family caregivers learn if they're eligible for a tax credit | Opinion Cynde Collins-Clark, a licensed counselor based in Edmond, has been her son Joe's primary caregiver for the last 20 years, long before the RAND study began. She has managed hundreds of pages of documents, several bins-worth of medications, countless doctors visits and miles of driving from appointment to appointment. Beyond his swollen legs and consequent falls, Joe Collins has isolated himself in a backroom of the house due to his mental health. Collins-Clark said these invisible wounds — a term coined by the Wounded Warrior Project — were the hardest to prove to the VA. Overwhelmed by the VA support process and answering unrelated questions from a case manager only to be denied of stipends and services time and time again, Collins-Clark left her full-time job and retired early to take care of her son. "Once you reach out to them, [and they say no], you're already worn down," she said. "You're already exhausted ... It was confusing to me, because I thought, 'He's 100% disabled, and I'm killing myself, so something doesn't seem right.'" Collins-Clark traveled as far as New York City to get her son the help he needed, but credited the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, a military and veteran caregiver advocacy organization in the U.S. with giving her the support she needed. Collins-Clark and her husband became caregiving fellows through the Foundation, which helped her through the process of becoming an official designated caregiver recognized by the VA department after a home health aide came to her house, assessed the situation and prioritized her to a higher rank in the system. "The VA was nothing," said Jim Clark, who became a secondary caregiver to his stepson. "She couldn't get help there. She did everything she could." Related: Proposed tiny houses village for homeless veterans shut down by neighborhood In Duncan, Angie Toone runs a small trinket store called Frivolous, while her husband, Kenneth, a retired Marine corporal who served in the Middle East in 2003, spends most of the day in a backroom — close enough for her to tend to both her caregiving duties and managing of the shop. The store doesn't bring in much profit, Angie Toone said. Instead, the couple depends on financial support to cover medical and living costs from the federal VA programs — around $4,000 for disability benefits and $1,700 from caregiving allowance. They receive another $2,000 from Social Security to offset costs. Unlike Collins-Clark, Toone received financial assistance as soon as she engaged with the VA department. However, she became one of thousands dropped from the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC), a federal assistance service offered through the local department once provisions were made last year. "They made a lot of changes within the program and reevaluated the program, and we were actually one of the people cut from the program," she said. "That being said, there were so many people cut from the program that it received a lot of backlash, so we'll continue to be paid for it through at least next year." When Angie met Kenneth, his PTSD symptoms had led to full psychotic breaks, a divorce and a house foreclosure. At a point, she committed him to a hospital — one of dozens of times he would be hospitalized after losing his job at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. He stopped working completely in 2011 and developed severe psychiatric symptoms such as chronic depression, paranoia, anxiety and panic attacks. He also had sustained back injuries during his tour, leaving him in a vulnerable position. "He was completely confused," she said. "He didn't know where he was. He was a danger to himself. He was a danger to other people." They married in 2014 when she took over all his medical needs — medication and appointment management, which included a mandatory monthly antipsychotic injection, reality checks during flashbacks — and became the head of the household, making sure bills were paid on time. Since then, they have moved to Duncan, a small town in southern Oklahoma, and she became a business owner at her shop at 120 S 10 St. for the first time since closing down her business in Utah to take care of Kenneth. "Because we had been best friends for five years, I knew I would be a full-time caregiver," she said. "I had basically been a part-time caregiver, so then I just became a full-time caregiver." The number of veterans needing caregivers in the U.S. more than doubled in the last decade from an estimated population of 14.3 million veteran caretakers last year compared to about 5.5 million in 2014, according to the RAND study. Data from the study also showed states with the highest number of veterans receiving proper caregiving support also had the highest number of unmet caregiver needs, suggesting that veterans in those states were among those who required the most help. The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs announced plans in December 2024 to clarify access to the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, reassess eligibility less frequently, reduce burdens on veterans and caregivers, and add more telehealth emergency home visits to provide peer support mentoring, skills training, coaching, telephone support, online programs and referrals to available resources for caregivers. Approximately 633 veterans and 718 caregivers are enrolled in the PCAFC program, and another 137 veterans and 142 caregivers are enrolled in the local VA department's Program of General Caregiver Support Services in the state, according to the national Veterans Affairs office. Phillip Ybarra, public affairs specialist at the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, said the national office did not approve an interview for this story. Elizabeth Field, chief operating officer for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation that commissioned the longitudinal RAND study, said the foundation works to identify and address the needs of veterans and service members. She found that a large group of that population needed someone to fill the role of a caregiver. "A big part of our strength as an organization has been and will continue to be identifying resources and then connecting people to the resources they need," said Field. Field said, in many situations, the financial burden of caregiving falls back on the caregivers themselves, who spend up to $13,000 in out-of-pocket expenses a year, according to the study. The study found that caregivers contributed approximately $119 billion to the U.S. economy. Field estimated an even higher financial contribution made by the caregiving industry of up to $400 billion. Field added that caregivers provided more than financial value to the U.S. — they also provided societal value by filling shortages in the health care field, leading to better outcomes for the people they care for, helping individuals with mental illness by providing a loving and supportive environment, and keeping family cohesion in families where children are present. "The way I think about it is this is a cost that the government, whether it's a local or state or federal, would need to bear if there weren't family members or loved ones or friends there to provide this support," Field said. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: More Oklahoma veterans need care as VA faces deep cuts
