Looking into the root causes of Papua problems

Looking into the root causes of Papua problems

Vidhyandika D Perkasa, Jakarta

The recent "intervention" by the U.S. Congress concerning the
legitimacy of Indonesia's sovereignty over the province of Papua
cannot be regarded as odd.

Whatever the real intention behind this American move, we must
acknowledge that it indirectly has to do with our own inadequacy
in handling the Papuan problem. Despite the effort by the Jakarta
government in granting Papua special autonomy, in reality
poverty, lack of education and a general state of backwardness
still exist in that easternmost region of the country.

Therefore, it is not very surprising if the Papuans are trying
to attract the attention of other countries for help. Through
intense lobbying and network-building those "Papuan elites" who
are far from satisfied with our management of Papua have been
successful in bringing their homeland under the international
spotlight.

The government has taken a defensive position in responding to
U.S. pressure. Some even wonder whether the American intervention
in fact poses a real threat. But this kind of threat really
depends on the objective. If we regard as a threat those measures
leading to the division of Papua from Indonesia -- like in the
case of East Timor -- then it will take a long time.

In fact, the government of Indonesia feels quite confident
about our situation in Papua. It also believes that the
congressional initiative is not really a serious problem as it is
driven by a very small minority. If the focus is the 'self
determination at the end of the 1960s, then the United Nations
has already supported and legitimized Papua as an integral part
of Indonesia.

Moreover, the Bush administration has been quick to state its
political support for a unified Indonesia.

However, extra attention and more serious measures are needed
to avoid the accumulation of international support for Papua's
independence.

The threat of division is actually more real if we view it
from the local context. Foreign intervention could destabilize
the situation in Papua because there are actually people in Papua
who feel disillusioned with the development in their region. The
latest American move gave them the message they had been waiting
for in that their grievances received support from a big country.

It is, therefore, important for the government of Indonesia to
invest more time in determining why other countries still have
reason to question the situation in Papua. In other words,
diplomacy alone is not enough as it only provides a "transitory
solution".

Now, how should we picture a more realistic socio-economic
condition of Papua? Direct observation shows us that Papua is in
fact a region that has received only a minimal "development
touch". It becomes more ironic as this province is very rich in
natural resources. We can witness that the cities at the regency
level -- let us say, in the Baliem valley area -- are supported
with sparse infrastructure. There is a lack of clean water
facility, nearly daily power blackouts, waste can be seen
everywhere, while health care and education are only minimal.

The condition becomes more frustrating if we are to witness
the "human" aspect. Economic disparity seems glaring between the
local indigenous people and the migrant inhabitants -- "the
newcomers". The indigenous Papuans believe that if they receive
the same opportunities and equal treatment, they can also be as
successful as the newcomers.

In reality the Papuans have to pay tax, but can only sell
their goods on the side of the street, while the newcomers sell
their products in permanent shops. The Papuans can only sell
small amounts of commodities with a relatively low selling value,
like vegetables and fruits. Inhabiting remote locations in the
mountain range, which depends on air transportation, the price of
staple foods has become a heavy burden for the Papuans.

The unemployment rate is very high. The dropout rate among
elementary and high-school students is also very high. Those few
who are lucky enough to maintain their working spirit would do
whatever possible to earn a living.

There are some of us who think that the Papuans' miserable
conditions -- poverty, backwardness, ignorance -- are caused by
their own "mentality". The Papuans are seen as drunkards, lazy
people, who love to gamble away their money. They are not capable
of planning for the future and are mostly spendthrifts.

We should debate, however, whether that kind of "mentality"
does exist. Is it a natural trait of the Papuans, or has it
become "a design for living" or an adaptive strategy in society
due to the scarcity of jobs?

The time is ripe for the government to be more serious in
dealing with Papua's problems. Papua should not be managed only
through economic tools but also using socio-cultural means. The
character and mentality of indigenous Papuans should be nurtured
after being "oppressed" for decades.

The special autonomy arrangement is the right formula upon
which the Papuans have pinned their hopes for a real change.
Problems arise when bad implementation causes them to feel that
they are being tricked into this arrangement. For the Papuans,
like all of us anywhere, a promise made is a promise kept.

Once promises are left unfulfilled, the trust has been broken.
It seems that right now there is mistrust between the Papuans and
the government -- in Jakarta and in the province itself.

Papua's problems are our own, not the problem of the U.S.
Congress. It is time for the Papuans and the government to find a
solution to deal with the situation in Papua. This is no time to
blame or accuse each other of wrongdoings, but the time to build
a solid partnership for the sake of this nation's integrity.

The writer holds a PhD in Anthropology from Monash University,
Australia. He is a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS), Jakarta and can be reached at
vidhyandika@csis.or.id.