Judging govt solutions to Papuan separatism

Judging govt solutions to Papuan separatism

Neles Tebay, Pontifical University, of Urbaniana, Rome

The central government has repeatedly emphasized the necessity
of tackling the separatist movement in Papua through "proper
ways". It is interesting to see how the government has been
trying to tackle the newly recognized Papuan separatist movement,
and how the international community has reacted.

The first solution was the offer of the status of special
autonomy for Papua. The government then passed the Law No.
21/2001 on special autonomy for Papua province. The international
community fully supported this solution by providing experts and
financial aid to make the implementation of the passed autonomy
law successful.

However, Jakarta has now considered that the implementation of
the autonomy law is not the proper way to tackle Papuan
separatism. Now it seems to assume that the autonomy law would
only strengthen the separatist movement and even accelerate the
creation of an independent state of West Papua.

So a second solution was taken to weaken the separatist
movement in Papua. While the Papuans were expecting a government
regulation for the establishment of the Papua People's Assembly
(MRP), President Megawati Soekarnoputri issued Presidential
Instruction No. 1/2003 on the establishment of the West and
Central Irian Jaya Provinces.

The government move to divide Papua has been opposed by the
international community, at least by the European Parliament.

Due to public pressure and clashes in Timika following the
announcement of the presidential instruction, the government then
decided to postpone the establishment of Central Irian Jaya while
maintaining the creation of West Irian Jaya province.

Since the second solution did not work smoothly, the
government decided on a third solution -- the combining of two
conflicting laws, namely Law No. 45/1999 recognizing three
provinces in the territory of Papua and Law No. 21/2001
recognizing only one province, which is Papua.

The autonomy law for Papua will now be revised to accommodate
the establishment of the two new provinces as mandated by Law No.
45/1999 and endorsed by Presidential Instruction No. 1/2003.

The status and role of the MRP will also be emasculated.

The government is now looking at the possibility of offering
special autonomy status not only to Papua province but also to
the West and Central Irian Jaya provinces.

We do not know how the government will synchronize these
conflicting laws. However, one can be sure that the combining of
these laws will create more confusion, not only for the Papuans
but also the government itself. It will have to be decided, for
instance, whether the province will be called Papua as mentioned
in the autonomy law or Irian Jaya as in Law No. 45/1999.

The government will be forced to determine whether branches of
the National Commission on Human Rights, and also the Commission
for Truth and Reconciliation, will be established only in Papua
or in each of the three provinces.

In the harmonizing of the two conflicting laws, the government
is also indirectly postponing indefinitely not only the creation
of the new provinces, but also the implementation of Papua's
autonomy law.

What will be the next attempt to weaken the separatist
movement?

When the Papuans rejected the implementation of the
controversial presidential instruction on the division of the
province, the military announced that numerous foreigners were
operating in Papua province in support of the separatist
movement.

The government then banned foreigners from visiting Papua on a
tourist visa, thereby further isolating Papua from the rest of
the world. Yet people may then question why Papua is closed to
foreigners, or what is being hidden from international eyes?

The government's attempted isolation of Papua becomes more
suspicious given the decision to deploy 2,000 additional troops
to the area. Four extra battalions will be dispatched immediately
to boost the other three battalions already stationed in Papua.

Indonesian Military chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, as reported
by the Papua Post, a local daily, on July 21, was already
announcing in Biak that to eradicate the unarmed separatists in
Papua, the military would deploy more intelligence personnel. The
military would also redeploy the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus)
to Papua in order to back the intelligence personnel.

The newspaper also reported that Maj. Gen. Sriyanto, the
Special Forces commander, acknowledged that Kopassus members
already had been redeployed to Papua, particularly in Jayapura,
Timika and Wamena.

Will the military solution be taken by the government as the
fourth solution for tackling Papuan separatism?

Looking at the government's efforts so far, several points can
be highlighted. It is clear that Jakarta has no clear concept of
how to root out the Papuan separatist movement. Further, the
government lacks clear policies and credible processes for
addressing the problems in Papua, including unresolved human
rights violations, the controversial 1969 Act of Free Choice,
racial discrimination and civilian control over the military in
Papua.

Instead of listening to the aspirations of the Papuans, the
government has been using the method of trial and error in
handling the Papua case. The above-mentioned solutions, except
the Papua autonomy law, have been decided by the government
without consultation with the Papuans.

It seems that there is no possibility for the government to
engage in a genuine dialog with the Papuans, in order to
determine a proper way to tackle the separatist movement in
Papua.

Nowadays, a reaction from the international community should
be expected in response to whatever measure the government takes
to address the Papua case.

All of these efforts from Jakarta which have failed to appease
the people in Papua have partially contributed to international
attention.

Finally, the government's incapability to handle the Papua
case through peaceful means could even invite international
humanitarian intervention for the sake of peace and progress, and
to prevent more violence in Papua.