Papua mission benefits Indonesians: Blair

Papua mission benefits Indonesians: Blair

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A United State based think-tank, the Council of Foreign Relations
(CFR), reiterated over the weekend that its planned mission to
Papua was part of its efforts to prepare a report on the province
and not to endorse the separatist movement there.

The chairman of the Council's Indonesian Commission, Adm.(ret)
Dennis C. Blair, the former U.S. pacific fleet commander, said
that the council wanted to highlight strategies for all sides
involved to promote peace and progress in Papua.

"We believe the commission's efforts are in the interests of
all Indonesians -- including Papuans," Blair said in a letter
made available to The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

He underlined that the organization was preparing a report
entitled "The Indonesian Commission: Peace and Progress in
Papua," and for that reason there was a need to visit the strife-
torn province.

"Though we welcome discussions with all concerned, the private
visit will not, however, be made at the invitation of the
Indonesian government or Papuan presidium," Blair underlined.

Earlier, Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda said that
the government would deny entry to the organization, noting that
Jakarta did not see any need for the team to visit Papua.

Separately, Indonesian Military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
also expressed his anger over the roles of several foreign non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) in fanning separatism in Papua.

The general even accused the NGOs of using diplomatic channels
to support the independence movement in the province, which made
it difficult for the TNI to counter it.

On Friday, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that he had received a
report from the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) regarding the
presence of several foreign parties in Indonesia who were
supporting separatist movements, including in Papua.

"We call on friendly foreign countries to prove their
commitment in supporting our territorial integrity by not
endorsing separatist activities in Papua," he remarked.

On Friday, CFR international advisory board member Jusuf
Wanandi contended that the council was interested in maintaining
the unity of Indonesia and aimed to support the government in
dealing with the separatist movement in Papua.

In his hand-written letter, Blair said that the CFR had been
in contact with "responsible Indonesian government officials in
both the United States and Jakarta" regarding the visit.

However, Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Marty
Natalegawa said that to the best of his knowledge there had been
no official explanation from the CFR regarding the visit.

"They are a well-known think tank in the U.S. and have good
communications with the Indonesian government, but so far not
regarding the visit," he told the Post on Saturday.

The planned visit by the CFR team to Papua has irked both
civilian and military leaders in Indonesia.

Government sources told the Post that before the media
disclosed the planned visit on Thursday, the issue had been
discussed during a meeting of ministers dealing with political
and security affairs.

"We are trying to minimize the possibility that the presence
of such foreign groups could lead us in the direction of another
fiasco like the secession of East Timor from Indonesia," the
source said.

Indonesia lost the province in 1999, which many nationalists
in Indonesia attribute partially to the involvement of various
foreign NGOs.