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