Foreigners denied entry to Papua

Foreigners denied entry to Papua

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

To avert the possibility of foreign intervention, the government
announced on Thursday it would deny entry to a delegation from a
United States-based non-governmental organization to Papua.

The Papuan Presidium Council (PDP) has invited the American
activists grouped under the Council of Foreign Relations as
observers in the strife-torn province between Dec. 13 and Dec.
16.

"We do not see the urgency for such an organization to enter
Papua. What for?," Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda
said on Thursday.

The ministry has only received information regarding the plan,
but not a formal request from the NGO.

Former U.S. Pacific fleet commander Dennis Blair will
reportedly head the delegation.

"They have not notified us of their plan, but, I stress that,
once again, there is no need for them to come to Papua," the
minister said.

Hassan said that the organization was planning to assess the
conflict situation in the province, but their purpose was
unclear.

Foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said that the
Indonesian embassy in Washington had implicitly told the NGO that
Jakarta would not let them enter Papua.

"They are not representing the U.S. government and our embassy
in Washington has indicated that the NGO would be rejected should
they try to enter Papua," Marty said.

Foreign intervention in Papua has been one of the worrying
factors for the government in maintaining the province as part of
the republic.

Earlier on Wednesday, Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen.
Endriartono Sutarto expressed his anger over foreign parties with
vested interests that use diplomatic channels to support the
separatist movement in the province.

"I am not optimistic that we can solve separatist problems in
Papua ... It's because this province has more potential (to be
independent) and is being supported by various foreign
interests," Endriartono said.