Government must recognize, address the Papuans need for democracy

Government must recognize, address the Papuans need for democracy

Neles Tebay, Rome

It was the first time in the history of Papua that the
Government of Indonesia recognized the Papuans' need for
democracy (The Jakarta Post, July 30, 2004).This recognition is
fundamental, not only for the Papuans, but also for the
government and the international community.

However, before addressing the Papuans' need for democracy,
the government, especially the working group on Papua at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, needs also to comprehend the Papuan
understanding of democracy.

Here I would like to share a Papuan concept of democracy --
that lived by the people who belong to the Mee tribe in the
central highlands of Papua -- as an example.

The majority of Mee people still cannot read and write. Being
illiterate does not mean being ignorant of democracy, however.

The core essence of democracy in the Mee tribe is well
expressed by two words, okaina mee, which literally means "he/she
is also a human being". It implies that everybody, regardless of
opinion, status, profession, gender, religion or
citizenship is considered to be a human being, and therefore must
be treated as a human being.

From this core grows four fundamental elements of democracy.

Since all human beings share the same human dignity, all are
also equals. Equality, then, is the first element.

As human beings, everyone also acts in an egalitarian manner,
which is the second element. One does not find in the culture of
the Mee equivalent terms to Pak (Mr) or Bu (Mrs), as
relationships among people are characterized by the concept of
ani-aki or"I-you", rather than "I-it".

Social status, profession or gender do not determine one's
human dignity. People many have different roles in the community,
but this does not define their dignity as people.

Nobody is considered to be higher than the others in terms of
human dignity.

For, "Only the Creator is the greatest" (Ugatame too ibo),
while "We are all human beings" (Inii ke mee too), as they to
say.

The third element is the value of participation. An activity
involving all members of the community in a village is decided
not only by one person, or a few members of the community. It is
and must be discussed by all members of the community.

The opinions of women and children are also respected. The
importance of listening to the opinions of women and children is
well expressed in the local language by the saying "Yoka-yagamo
kaa mana na yuwii", which literally means, "The voices of the
women and children must be listened to and accepted".

The discussion of a commonplace activity or problem usually
takes one or two days, for every opinion must be taken into
consideration.

Any decision taken by community, then, is the decision of all,
for all community members are involved in the process of
decision-taking and decision-making. Here one can see just how
essential is the value of participation.

The fourth element is the value of independence. In the Mee
culture, it is believed that everybody is gifted by the Creator
with the capacity to think, reflect and judge. These gifts are
collectively referred to as the dimi (mind). Using these gifts,
one can think, analyze and make judgments on things and events,
and make personal decisions independently. One must be
responsible for any consequences generated by the decision that
has been made.

Thus, imposing one's will or interests upon others is not
accepted as it goes against the other person's independence.

While one may propose something, or challenge another person
to ponder an issue more deeply, the final decision will always be
a personal decision made independently.

All part of Melanesian culture, the other Papuan tribes share
the same concept of democracy, although its expression varies in
accordance with their environmental and geographical contexts.

Thus, the concept of democracy in Papuan culture is grounded
on respect for human dignity, and therefore contains the values
of equality, egalitarianism, participation, dialogue and
independence.

From the above description, it is also clear that democracy,
for the Papuans, is not only the end of a process. It is also the
way. A democratic society in Papua or in Indonesia can be
developed only through the democratic way.

Democratic society cannot be created through military
operations, intimidation, terror and other forms of oppression.
All these are undemocratic and therefore demean human dignity.

That's why the Papuans cannot accept a military solution to
the Papua issue, whatever its justification, because it attacks
the very dignity of human beings.

In a military operation, the essential elements of cultural
democracy such as equality, egalitarianism, participation and
independence are intentionally destroyed.

For the Papuans, peaceful dialogue is the democratic way to
settle problems and to create a democratic society.

In this light, it is clear why Papuans have been so
insistently calling upon the Government of Indonesia to engage in
a peaceful dialogue, through the mediation of a neutral, third
party, to settle the Papua issue in a democratic way and to
establish a democratic society. These calls are grounded on the
cultural concept of democracy.

If the government already knows the Papuans' need for
democracy, then the government should address this need by
welcoming the Papuans' calls for peaceful dialogue.

Eventually, what kind of democracy is offered to the Papuans
by the government, and how the government tackles the Papua issue
will be very much determined by its understanding of democracy.

The writer is an Indonesian postgraduate student at the
Pontifical University of Urbaniana in Rome.