Keep Papua Indonesian

Keep Papua Indonesian

The Papuan People's Congress has ended and its results were as many of us had feared -- freedom and sovereignty as an independent nation, separate from Indonesia. Quite a demand, although one could ask whether the wish to become an independent nation is shared by all the people in the territory.

Nevertheless, it is true that, as people say, there is no smoke without a fire. That desire must have been caused by unfavorable experiences in the past.

It must be admitted that from a geographical point of view it is not easy to unite a country such as Indonesia, which consists of thousands of islands. Indonesia is a large country with more sea than land. This one factor alone is enough to make the possibility of (regional) splits a real threat.

All this, however, should actually be a challenge for us to maintain our national unity and cohesion as a progressive and prosperous nation with great potential. The government, together with all the other elements that make up the nation, must have the wisdom and hard work to prevent this nation from disintegrating. We must sit together while keeping our heads cool and work out an agenda on keeping Indonesia a country that respects its people and brings prosperity to all.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta