Govt told to win hearts of Papuan people

Govt told to win hearts of Papuan people

Tiarma Siboro
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

The central government should intensify its communication with
the international community and win the hearts of Papuan people,
instead of employing a military approach, to crush the Free Papua
Movement (OPM), according to community and religious leaders in
Papua.

Papuan Governor Jaap Solossa said that the government should
counter OPM's struggle for independence through political and
cultural means with intensive actions to win support from
countries who are influential in international fora.

According to him, a defensive approach and military offensive
will not be effective in crushing the underground independence
movement because like Aceh, the core problem in the Papua is
injustice, human rights abuses and unfair treatment and not the
armed rebellion.

"Besides, the government should also be consistent in its
implementation of the special autonomy to win the hearts of the
people so that they will no longer support the separatist
movement. The more human rights abuses and injustices that occur
the more the people will suffer and the more they will support
the separatist movement," he said after a meeting with
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono at the latter's office here on Saturday.

Also accompanying Solossa in the meeting were leaders of
religious groups in Papua and former Papuan governors Barnabas
Suebu and Izaac Hindom.

He declined to reveal details about the meeting but according
to credible sources, the Papuan delegation met Susilo in line
with the government's planned military offensive in Papua
following the ongoing one in Aceh.

When asked whether the government had changed its mind on the
planned military operation in Papua, the governor said: "No...
there is no such plan (to launch military operation in Papua).

He, nevertheless, was quick to add: "The meeting, of course,
focused strongly on the government's plan to pay more attention
to end the secessionist movements in Aceh and Papua, as well as
terrorism issues and security matters prior to the 2004 general
election."

The military leadership has warned against OPM's intensive
lobbying with international non-governmental organizations and
developed countries to win their support for the province's
separation from Indonesia.

Solossa regretted that the government has not disbursed the
special autonomy funds worth Rp 1.3 trillion (US$158.5 million)
in the fiscal year 2003.

The funds should have been disbursed in March.

Almost all development projects that have been approved and
completed this fiscal year could not be carried out because of
the delay, he said. "We do need the funds to finance development
projects and the government should show its goodwill to encourage
progress under the autonomy era in the province to win the hearts
of the Papuan people. The government should foster the Papuan
people's dignity."

Solossa also questioned the suspension of the establishment of
the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) which has a vital political
function in determining the development policy and the future of
the country's easternmost province.

He said Papua and the central government have been at odds
over the MRP since the latter did not want the highest Papuan
law-making body to have any political authority.

He said neither side discussed the planned development of
Papua into three provinces, a move Papuan religious leaders have
opposed.

The military has been behind the government's move in its
attempt to weaken the separatist movement.

However, the military has been strongly criticized for rampant
human rights abuses over the last three years, ranging from the
murder of proindependence Papuan figure Dortheys "Theys" Hiyo
Eluway to the recent killing of dozens of civilians in a hunt for
rebels in Timika, Jayawijaya regency.