Foreign NGO denies backing Papuan independence<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A United States non-governmental organization, the Council of
\nForeign Relations, denied suggestions on Friday that its planned
\nvisit to Papua was aimed at giving support for the province's
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
The NGO's international advisory board member Jusuf Wanandi
\nsaid that the visit was pure in its initiative and not upon the
\ninvitation of the Papuan Presidium Council (PDP) as mentioned by
\nforeign affairs minister Hassan Wirayuda on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The visit was designed, Jusuf said, to provide feedback for
\nthe Indonesian government on measures to be taken so that the
\ntroubled province remained part of the country.<\/p>\n
\"The result of our planned study in that province would be
\nsubmitted to the government,\" Jusuf told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Hassan said on Thursday that the government would deny entry
\nto the organization, saying that Jakarta did not see the
\nimportance for the team to visit the country's easternmost
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
Earlier, PDP claimed that they had invited the U.S.-based NGO
\nto the province on Dec. 13 to assess the conflict situation
\nthere.<\/p>\n
\"We have not been invited by PDP. But it is a known fact that
\nPDP is part of the political reality in Papua and to support the
\nstudy we need to talk to all sectors there including PDP,\" Jusuf
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The team is planning to conduct a study in Papua and to
\nestablish a monitoring team to continuously observe the situation
\nin the province.<\/p>\n
\"The monitoring team will consist of Indonesian people, no
\nforeigners are involved,\" Jusuf asserted.<\/p>\n
Foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said that the
\nIndonesian Embassy in Washington had implicitly told the NGO that
\nthe country would deny them entry to Papua.<\/p>\n
Jusuf contended that the NGO were concerned to maintain the
\nunity of Indonesia and aimed to support the government in dealing
\nwith the separatist movement.<\/p>\n
He said that the team would be led by Dennis Blair, former
\nU.S. pacific fleet commander as he was known to the Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI).<\/p>\n
\"We will try to explain the condition to the foreign affairs
\nministry, and we will delay the planned visit until March next
\nyear,\" Jusuf added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/foreign-ngo-denies-backing-papuan-independence-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}