Handle Papua with care

Sometimes people must be handled like glassware: with extreme care and certainly not upside down. The people from Papua or Irian Jaya, are extremely sensitive as they believe they have received less than they deserve in the form of welfare in view of the natural resources at their disposal, like gold and other minerals.

A group of people from that province, including intellectuals and tribal chiefs got together and declared themselves free from the Republic of Indonesia. They even asserted, they have never belonged to any part of Indonesia since 1961. It was under the auspices of the United Nations that the former Dutch colony joined the republic and adopted the Indonesian flag and language.

In recent years, however, their patriotic sentiments have grown stronger, and like other provinces in turmoil, they now demand an independent Papua with their own flag. They also have urged for a referendum to be held in that province.

The movement is considered illegal and unconstitutional by the central government in Jakarta and by the People's Consultative Assembly, as such would endanger the unity of the republic. Strong measures will be taken by the military if they continue to press for independence.

It is unfortunate that President Abdurrahman Wahid once indirectly lauded the initiative of the people of Papua to have their own personality and develop their own culture, even their own flag but not in the form of a free nation independent from Indonesia.

It is unfortunate, indeed, that a confrontation with war-like rhetoric is developing between the Papuan people's movement and the central authorities, people are blaming Abdurrahman for the situation.

Yet, there is no need for the central authorities to impress the Papuans with saber-rattling. Many Papuans feel they are unfairly treated, denied equal opportunities and feel the time has come to rebel with or without foreign assistance. Lessons we have learned from Aceh, former East Timor, and other provinces, calls for self-restraint. Handle boiling water with care. Use force only to beat dogs.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta